Transform Your Kitchen or Bath Without Replacing Anything!

 

Kitchens and bathrooms are easily the most expensive rooms to revamp. Replacing floors, tile, countertops, appliances, and cabinets can run over $10,000-$15,000…easily.

But what if you’re on a budget and want to elevate the look of your kitchen or bath without replacing anything?

Thanks to interior designers and TV set designers, painted cabinetry in high end, luxury homes is now commonplace.

Painted cabinets brighten an otherwise visually dark room, can add an infusion of color and personality, and set the tone for one of the most important rooms in your home. Painting also effectively masks inexpensive cabinetry and can give the illusion of a custom installation.

 

Reasons to transform the look of your existing kitchen or bath cabinets with a little paint.

1. Because you can use any color of paint you’d like, you can work with your existing flooring, backsplash, tile, countertops, and fixtures.
2. Choose light colors to brighten up a visually dark space. White or cream colored cabinets are the most versatile and valuable for resale. Gray or gray blue colors are also very common and elegant.
3. They are just as cleanable as any other standard cabinet finish
4. Have you noticed how orange “golden oak” looks? Yikes. Builders all over Colorado still use it. It limits your paint, flooring, tile, and counter options.
5. You can choose a standard smooth finish. Or add personality with an antiqued or slightly distressed finish.
6. You have flexibility in how to use color. You can paint your kitchen island a different color than your main cabinets. You can paint the bottom half of your cabinets one color and the top half another. You can highlight an architectural feature with yet another color. You are limited only by your preferences and imagination.

Check out our Pinterest board for painted kitchen cabinets and painted bathroom cabinets for inspiration.

3 Tips for a Great Outdoor Living Space

3 Tips for a Great Outdoor Living Space

 

In Colorado our outdoor living season is short. Unless we install a fire pit (and there are no fire restrictions), and are willing to bundle up.

I absolutely love summer and early fall in Colorado. The evenings are cool and there are very few bugs with which to contend. Our rental property is small which meant when we lived there we were also in need of extra living space. We put an outdoor tent over our patio, bought cushioned chairs and created an oasis which acted as a second living room day and night for several months.

Here are a few tips for making a great outdoor living space.

Tip #1 Treat it like an indoor living space.

I found I was more inclined to go outside and stay outside when I was comfortable. Two things that made the list were shade, and lots of it, and cushioned furniture. The hard plastic chairs may be inexpensive, but they are uncomfortable. We weren’t willing to pay full price for furniture, either so we hit Craigslist and found a used patio set with cushioned chairs, a loveseat, and footrests. Jackpot!

Items you may want for your outdoor living space:

• Furniture with cushions
• Side tables or coffee tables (to eat and set drinks on)
• Covering like an awning, tent, or umbrella. Bonus to having a tent, you can put up curtains to block intense sun.
• Rugs made for the outdoors. We used this on a concrete patio to save our crawling baby’s knees.
• Lighting for evening. White Christmas lights do the job well.

Tip #2 Play with color.

Because the sun is so intense here in Colorado, it’s a good idea to add a punch of color to your outdoor space to give it some presence and pop! I like to experiment with color outside—so bold bright yellows, pinks, and greens become center stage for me. If you’ve always wanted to try bold color inside, but were afraid to, use the outdoor space as a testing place for your interior décor ideas.

Tip #3 Bring in plants.

Unless your living space is surrounded by lush gardens, you may want to consider large pots of plants to bring a sense of coziness and privacy to your living space. Plants liven up an interior and will do the same for your outdoor space. Flowering plants may be nice, but be ready for bees to do their job. You may want to do an all green planter with a tree you can bring inside during the winter months. Or use ornamental grasses and succulents to create a modern feel.

One of my favorite things about all outdoor living spaces is that when you spend time making it comfortable for you it will be very comfortable for others. You are able to go from yourselves to a party quickly! Now’s a great time to start.

More inspiration is available on our Pinterest board: Outdoor Living Space.

What do you like most about your #outdoorlivingspace ? What do you wish you had?

4th of July Kid Crafts

4^th of July Kid Crafts

 

Independence Day is Thursday.

I love July 4^th! Nice warm weather, celebrating with friends and family, and a day off. I try not to think about the fact that summer, my favorite season, is half over. Since there are likely to be no fireworks because of the massive fire danger this year we will be making merry with friends and probably a movie or two.

We want to celebrate this important day with our young children and hands-on projects usually fit the bill. I, Lisa, may have combed Pinterest a time or two for great kid crafts. Here are a few that I thought would be fun. Will I be doing all of them? Um, no. But maybe you can find one you’ll enjoy. Click on the image to visit our Patriotic Pinterest board and get to the original sources for these projects.

Confetti Poppers

Nothing says holiday like a big mess. So here is a way to let your young ones spray as much confetti everywhere as possible. But the kids I know would LOVE this. Especially if they are allowed to aim it at each other.

 

Popsicle Stick Flags

These are quick and easy to glue together. I’ve found colored craft sticks like this a our local craft store. Otherwise some quick acrylic paint would do the trick.

 

Patriotic Pinwheels

These pinwheels seem easy enough. Looks as though they used scrapbook paper and some wooden dowels. Check the craft stores for sales on all 4^th of July related paper and goods.

 

Pipe Cleaner Fireworks

Now we’re close to my speed. I have pipe cleaners and thread. Maybe even a couple beads. These would be fun to hang from our dining room chandelier.

 

Pipe Cleaner Sparklers

Now, this the craft most likely to be done at my house. I have all the pipe cleaners I’d need for this. It may not look like much, but my little ones would LOVE this. Hopefully they won’t poke each other with the finished product. No guarantees.

Do you have any favorite ways you help kids understand the importance of Independence Day?

Tips for Accenting Fireplaces with Paint

Tips for Accenting Fireplaces with Paint

 

Thinking about using color to bring out your fireplace?

Let’s be honest. Sometimes neutral colors and builder paints, while nice, don’t do certain architectural features justice.

One feature is the fireplace. In many homes the fireplace is a focal point. It exudes comfort and conversation. Having a little fun with accent colors can make your interior memorable and inviting.

It is also a great place to play with bolder colors. You can really make a splash and if you want to change it in a few years, it’s less expensive and lower commitment than painting a full room.

We recently painted a fireplace for a homeowner and it completely transformed the space. Check it out!

If you’re thinking of painting your fireplace here are a few tips:

1. Does your fireplace have visual interest? If it seems boring or under scale, price out having a wood façade added to give it more presence.
2. Is the fireplace a feature you want to highlight? When you go bold your eye and the attention of your guests will be drawn there. Make sure you’re ready to accessorize so the fireplace looks intentional.
3. Choose a color you already have in your décor. If you already have accent colors in your decorating, place that color on your fireplace to pull it all together.
4. Consider painting the surround a bold color and leaving the fireplace neutral. This can achieve the same effect.

For inspiration, check out our Pinterest Board: Painted Fireplaces.

Would you paint your fireplace surround a bold color? If so, what color would you do?

Paint Color of the Year 2013 Aloe

Aloe is the HOT color of 2013!

 

This year Sherwin-Williams and other professional paint companies announced Aloe (SW 6464) as the color of the year. Closely related to the Pantone color of the year, Emerald, Aloe is a light vintage green color. In fact, it’s part of the color collection Vintage Moxie at Sherwin-Williams.

If you follow women’s fashion, or shop in a department store, or have looked on Pinterest recently you will see “mint” colored pants, dresses, shirts, home accessories splattered all over! Aloe is a slightly more gray version of mint which keeps it from looking neon or juvenile on your walls.

This color is what we call a pseudo-neutral. It can be paired with a lot of other colors and not be the center of attention. Because of it’s vintage appeal it will look classic, yet fresh for years.

Pair Aloe with

• Neutrals
• Metallic
• Natural textures and colors
• Brighter colors like coral, yellow, blue
• Emerald green

I’m considering painting my office this color—just to liven things up!

We always recommend getting a sample of the paint and either using a product like Small Wall® to see where in your home you’d like it best.

SHARE WITH US: Are you going to give a trendy color like Aloe a try on your walls at home?