B is for...

pardon the silence. memories are being made.

Master Bath Progress (Before/After)

I've taken a few steps to make our master bathroom more livable these days. The dated floral wallpaper had to go! Luckily, it came down fairly easy. New texture and paint have done the trick and has this space feeling a lot more 'us.' Until we're ready to move forward with major changes, these little changes are well worth the time and effort.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

This is the part where I have a confession to make! Homeright was kind enough to send me a paint sprayer to try out almost a year ago. Yes, a year ago! I was too intimidated to use it so it's been sitting all nice and pretty in its box just staring me in the face. 

I was so intimidated that the prep work you see below was rolled on. Yep, can you say weenie?

Well, I finally put my big girl undies on and went after the big guns for the final coats!

Here's a simple break down for ya...

Step 1. Be brave enough to pull the sprayer off the shelf.

Step 2. Read the instructions. (I'm a girl so that's okay.)

Step 3. Use dipper tool to check the viscosity, aka thickness, of the paint. This was the step I was dreading most, but it turned out to be a piece of cake.

Step 4. Find a test material.

Step 5. Spray away. Learn the different angles so you know which will work best on your actual project.

Step 6. Throw away your roller because this thing is 100 times easier!!!

Step 7.  Celebrate your new, non-weenie status!

A few more shots of the decor details...

Although they look like different colors, the walls are all actually the same color. Shadows are a booger, I tell ya.

I chose a gray-green color from Benjamin Moore, Hazy Skies (OC-48) and had it color matched at Home Depot. For the tub surround, I color matched Sherwin William's Fawn Brindle (SW 7640).

Maverick was quick to offer his approval.

Last but not least, the best part of the bathroom (also the culprit for making my pictures so hard to shoot)...the view!

Thanks to Homeright for providing me the Finish Max Fine Finish Sprayer for this project. Now it's on to the rest of the cabinets! 

New West Elm String Art

I love finding a steal! There's such a thrill involved. Last week I was at West Elm scouring the clearance section leisurely browsing their beautiful store and came across my newest steal...string art.

Geo Stitch Wall Art

This Geo Stitch retails for $129. At that price there's no way I would have purchased 3 of these babies, but look at how many are happily hanging in our entry...

Would you believe me if I told you I paid less for all 3 than the original price of one?! At $39.99 each, paired with my designer discount the grand total came out to $116. (Sorry for the massive glare, but you get the point.) 

I checked online to see if the priced matched but sadly it doesn't. It's still a good deal though at $54.99.

It's not a huge change up from what was hanging there originally (see below), but I was tired of framed scrap paper and felt the original glossy frames didn't quite fit into the vibe I am going for. Plus, the scale of the new art is much better.

I wish I could show you a panoramic shot and let you see how fun the geometric strings look with our entry wall. They're the perfect compliment! You'll just have to use your imagination...

So tell me, when you find a steal do you find yourself telling everyone who comments on it exactly how much you paid? My husband will never understand why women do this!

Words to live by

 Hip hip hooray, it's summer!!

Wisdom and a 10 y.o. boy...oxymoron? 

Not at all (in this case anyway). 

10y.o. boy wisdom:

*laugh

*enjoy life to its fullest

*if it brings you joy, do it over and over and over again

*don't be scared...just jump in

*it's okay to hold hands

*laugh again

Texas Traditional...Before and After

Get your boots ready, ya'll because I'm about to walk you through the design of a very traditional Texas project. My client owns a wealth management company and reached out asking for help making sense of his office space. 

Take a look at how things turned out...

This is where we started...

The room was bland and the tv placement was awkward. My client wanted the space to be more functional and have an overall cohesive feel. We chatted a bit...I listened a lot (remember this post?)...and we came up with an eye-catching solution.

Boom! Did you expect the tv to be hiding behind the barn doors and floating inside that beautiful faux stone wall? Fun little surprise, right?! We used the Rolling Cabinet Media Solution from Pottery Barn but had to make some modifications to fit our design.

This project moved a break-neck speed and I'm shocked/thrilled that we met his insane deadline! I was literally styling shelves and hanging pictures as a film crew was setting up to shoot his business videos... which is what started this project in the first place!

If you live in the Dallas area and want to see this project in person and you're looking for a trust-worthy financial planner, give Mike a visit, Mike Mills Wealth Management. He doesn't realize yet, but I added a large fee for this little plug. ha! ha! Just kidding...he can consider it a random act of kindness. :)

What's next?

I'm feeling a bit torn about which project to tackle next. We've done all the "easy" projects and now we're reaching the point of "Oh, that one's going to hurt a bit." Let's face it, bathrooms, kitchens and couches are not cheap, even in the DIY world.

So, while I sit and get my ducks in a row, I'll share what's been rattling around in my brain. Let's start with bathrooms. I love freestanding tubs. Have you noticed the trend of "enclosing" the shower and the tub in same space?

via Change your Bathroom, Inc.

I find myself drawn to this modern vibe until I run across the vintage option...

via Garden & Gun

So much character! I honestly couldn't tell you which one I like more. Guess that's where my 'eclectic' taste comes in play.

Now, for the couch...

I finally talked John into John decided we needed a new couch! But, darn it anyway, he made the requirement that it 'be comfy.' Doesn't he know it's solely style that matters?! ha!

Reese Sectional

I had my heart set on the Reese Sectional from Room and Board but there isn't a store close by for me to give it the 'ol comfy test. So, my sweet friend, Pam from Simple Details, ran to the store near her and was kind enough to lay on it for me. Bad news...not so comfy. Back to the drawing board.

Then, there's the kitchen. Do you remember that my cabinets are stained green? Click here to see the awesomeness. This kitchen from Adrian Amore Architects has me dreaming of the potential.

Adrian Amore Architects

So, what's next? I don't really know. When I find myself getting antsy, I have to remind myself that we decided to tackle this house like it's a marathon, not a sprint.

Commercial Moodboard

I've been working my patootie off trying to meet a fast deadline on this conference room design. The business owner is having a video shot on the 26th and wants the room complete before then. It's been a month of praying contractors show up and merchandise is shipped on time!

While this isn't the normal design aesthetic I typically present on my blog, I thought it'd still be good to share. Not every project that comes my way is 100% in line with my style but that doesn't mean I'm not going to put my best foot forward and give my client something they absolutely love.

Many years ago, before I found my passion in design, my father-in-law gifted me a design consultation for Christmas. I remember talking to the designer on the phone and asking how things worked, especially if she didn't share my taste. I quickly learned the answer to be simple...it's all about listening. If you're working with a good designer, they'll listen to you, hearing not only what you're saying but a lot of what you're not saying, and be able to design the perfect plan for you and your taste.