The Upstairs – Chapter 3 (The office floors)

Last nights accomplishments:
- The carpet was be ripped out, as well as all staples and tack strip
- The top part of the baseboard has been painted

The current project right now is the quarter round. Brent is doing the measuring, hammering and cursing (seriously, you should have heard him last night), and I'm doing the quarter round painting and the touch ups once hammered in.

One wall down, three more to go.

Before:

After:-----------------------------------------
Oh, and thank you Mrs. Messi's Musings for the Beautiful Blogger Award.

The Upstairs – Chapter 2 (The office)

Meet the future office:
Yep, this is currently the room of crap (or as Brent calls it "the R.O.C.") I'd like to say the current office won't be subjected to this madness, but that would be a lie.

I'm thrilled with the progress made in the future office this weekend though – all painting aside from touch ups are done. This is huge. I was beyond terrified about doing the stripes, but it really wasn't too bad (details are further below).

The paint colors I picked were by Glidden (thank you Home Depot for the $15 gallon sale) – Whispering Wheat (the base color) and Soft Suede (the darker color). I've only used Glidden once before, and that was on the buffet, but once again I was really happy with the paint quality.

Once the base color was on, the measurement fun began. This was definitely a trial-and-error process, and for Brent and myself, third time was the charm.

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Measurements: Round 1
My logic was use the level for each stripe for about a foot, and then use the laser level from there and then it's nothing but tracing the red line. (While looking back, I'm fairly positive this actually did work, but we thought we were really off because the top stripe kept getting larger).

Measurements: Round 2
We decided to measure up from the baseboard for all measurements every foot or so. While this also made a lot of sense at the time, we weren't planning on the unevenness of the baseboards. So, 23 inches was definitely not 23 inches in all places. This would lead to lines going slightly diagonal, which would look terrible once furniture was added.

Measurements: Round 3
What we should have done all along – just measure in one corner – and then use the level just based on that. The baseboards and ceilings may not be perfect, but this way we know our lines are straight. Brent did all the measuring, and it took him about 30 minutes to do the entire room. (How did it get done so quickly? Brent has a beast of a level that's about 3-feet long).
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So while the laser theory would have worked looking back, I'm happy we did it all with the actual level. Why? Because with those pencil lines I knew exactly where to put my tape, versus the sketchy lines I was making from tracing the laser line.

I did debate awhile about the stripe itself – small or big. I love the smaller stripes like Michelle from Three Men and a Lady has in her entryway, but after much debate, I realized that wasn't me. I decided my stripe philosophy was go big or go home.

I'm so happy I went big, I love how it looks:


Paint Tip: I don't go name-brand that often for paint supplies, but painter's tape is something you cannot cheap out on. There is a major difference between the $7 and $1 tape. So don't do it, because you will regret it.

Up next: removing the carpet.

The office vision

This was my first time using Polyvore, and let's just say I'll probably go back to InDesign after this. My issue is that I already own some key pieces...that no longer exists at stores...and Polyvore hates Snapfish. So, I was slightly at a loss and had to bluff a couple of things, but you can still get the picture.

Anyway, here's the plan.

1. I want to keep the colors simple, so I can do the horizontal stripes. I'm between several different shades – but it looks like Glidden paint is the winner.

2. To play off the glass desk, I thought glass candleholders were a must. These candleholders are from CB2. The candleholders I already have are also from CB2, but have more geometric detail to them. Just a warning though, all their lumi collection is really thin, so be super careful. I have no idea how mine are still in one piece.

3. Some white magazine holders from The Container Store will help hide the clutter.

4. This isn't my exact desk lamp, I think mine is actually cooler. It was another Craigslist find, and I got it for $25. Compare that to this lamp for $300.

5. I am all about the DIY art. And while I think the piece I selected is beautiful, I'm sure the price tag isn't. I am actually going to alter a piece I had in the family room in house #1. This painting will lose the greens and yellow, and add the new current color scheme.

6. To show off the red, I want to add in plenty of red accessories, such as vases. This vase is from Ikea and is $7.99. I wish I lived by an Ikea, my life would be so much easier.

7. Seriously, if you do not own this bookshelf from Crate & Barrel – go buy it. Why is it so awesome? It can be either a bookshelf or console table. For a mind changer like me, this is heaven.

8. Oh, the chair. Sigh. I wish I could afford it, but even with it's $979 sale price, it's just not in my future. So what's the plan? Last June, I got an armchair and ottoman off Craigslist for $35. While the chair is brown – I'm not a fan of the pattern, just the shape. My goal is to have this chair upholstered with a similiar fabric to dream chair.

9. I already own these floating shelves from Lowes. They are actually the same ones I have in the living room now, but just in a smaller size.

10. I have a crush on this pillow. I figure everything else is more structured – so the pattern adds a fun twist to the room.

11. The desk is from Target and is listed for $129.99. I scored this piece brand new on Craigslist (seeing a trend here?) for $50 last year. I know not everyone wants to glass desk, but I don't want my desk to stand out – and a glass desk is ideal in those situations. Why the L-shape? Brent's a CPA and needs room for his 10 key and giant calculator (I wish I was joking).

12. The chair is something Brent will always win on. He's the one who actually uses the desk – so his black-leather preference wins. The one we have now though is looking rather sad, so hopefully at some point an upgrade can happen.

13. While I do have this table lamp from Pier 1, what this image should be in the floor lamp version.

The Upstairs – Chapter 1

Brent and I made 2 rookie mistakes with the upstairs in September while we were moving in.

1. We painted the office the same color as the office in the old house.
While there is nothing wrong with Sherwin Williams' mocha – it definitely isn't right for this house...especially that bedroom. Not only are there fewer windows, but the house faces a different direction, which just means we have less sunlight...period. And that color just makes the bedroom even darker.

2. We weren't thinking about the future.
Putting the office where we did seemed like a good idea at the time, but now it just seems all wrong. Bedroom #3 is nothing but storage right now, which means that door stays closed. Seeing the always-closed door from the entry way isn't my favorite thing in the world. Plus, when the baby thing does happen – the current office just makes more sense as a nursery. From my bed, I can see into that bedroom – it just makes more sense.


The Plan
- Switch the two bedrooms
- Embrace the brown in the office, but make it a lighter brown and do horizontal stripes throughout it
- Finish all the door and trim painting in both rooms
- Rip out the carpet in the hallway and both bedrooms (and pray the hardwood floors underneath are in good condition)

Craigslist Deals in Kansas City

I love Craigslist because it's a mixture of perfectly new items and major fixer uppers – so there is something for everyone. Enjoy today's finds from Kansas City.

Pier 1 faux-leather queen size headboard – $125

Pottery Barn black swivel desk chair – $199

Pottery Barn desk – $125

Retro bar stools – $50

Please let me know if there's a city you want me to do a Craigslist search for. :)

Happy 101 Award

Thank you so much Pine Tree Home for passing along the Happy 101 Award to me. I love that people are enjoying my new-home adventures blog.

So here are my 10 things that make me happy:

1. My husband
2. My dogs
3. My new house

4. Wine Country
5. Bargains (sales, Craigslist, eBay, garage sale, deals of the day – I’m not picky)

6. My Kate Spade purse

7. Houndstooth

8. Walk-in closets (and I very jealous of everyone with these)
9. Mexican food (I think I could live off tacos and queso)

10. Getting comments on my blog. Thanks so much for tuning in. ☺



And here are my 10 blogs of choice:
1. 3 Men and a Lady
Michelle is amazing – if you haven’t already heard of you (in which case you are probably living under a rock), please check out her blog.

2. A Penny Saved
Britt is the yardsale queen. I love looking at all the amazing things she gets for dirt cheap.

3. Completely Coastal
This blog makes me want to move to Nantucket…or at least acquire a beach house. This blog is my sweet escape.

4. DIY Diaries
Leslie has a beautiful home. She keeps me motivated to keep on chugging along with my house.

5. Dog Photographer – Leesia Teh
I’m so jealous of everyone who gets to use Lessia. She has amazing talent – I wish she was located in KC.

6. Foreclosure to Fabulous
Holes in the walls and bad electrical wiring are nothing that Kari can’t handle.

7. Lovely Listing – Odd Finds in Real Estate
If you’re ever curious how not to stage your house – please look here.

8. My Happy House
This blog is my inspiration for making things clean and orderly. Well, mainly I read it, wonder how she does all that and then go home and do anything but clean…but you get the idea.

9. Pugs Not Drugs
Rose is all about rescuing dogs, organizing and shopping at HomeGoods – honestly, what’s not to like?

10. Sunshine & Wine
I love Suzanne’s go, go, go attitude. Every time I check her blog she is always doing something new to her house.

Silhouette Knockoffs

When I bought the shelves for the living room last Friday, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to go on them. One must was a Westie silhouette picture – to embrace my black and white theme to the fullest.

Fast forward to today, and I noticed one on OKL's vendors is selling this:

Compare that to what I made in about 5 minutes for free:

Sure mine isn't a silk screen, but I'm pretty sure that I still win. :)

What I did for free art:
1. Searched Google images for Westie silhouette images
2. Put the file into Illustrator
3. Do a "live trace" – this also allows you to alter the image to your liking and expand it to any size necessary without distorting the image.
4. Then I added a 1-point border around the image
5. Printed it out on a standard inkjet printer
6. Then I put it in a black frame I wasn't using

And yes, if you hadn't already noticed from my bedroom – I really like silhouettes and I really like my Westies.
How I made silhouettes on canvases for the price of the canvas:
1. Searched Google images for Westie silhouette images
2. Put the file into Illustrator
3. Do a live trace (If you do not have Illustrator, just find an image of whatever you are going to silhouette the size you need it to be – it doesn't have to be exact)
4. Print it out and cut out the image
5. Trace the image onto a thicker piece of cardstock
6. Once the image is traced, this is where you can alter the image (I altered my image to look more like my dogs)
7. Cut out the cardstock image
8. Paint the canvas(es) the desired color
9. Trace the cardstock image onto the canvas and then paint it
10. If you want a border, use painters tape