Board and Batten Mudroom Progress

Guess what happens at my house when the husband books himself a 6 day guys only ski trip to Lake Tahoe?!?  Projects that have been but a glimmer in my eye miraculously begin with unbefore seen enthusiasm!  Hey... we take it how we can get it!

Confession.  Since we ripped out the coat closet and put in the entry bench it has been a little harder than expected to keep everything as tidy as I would like.  During the summer it was a breeze, but now that Old Man Winter is here and we all have 3 or 4 coats in rotation it is not quite as easy.  Solution... more hooks!  But, we couldn't just throw hooks on the wall around here and call it a day. 

I've been pinning and loving board and batten for some time now.  I think it keeps with the character of this house and it just looks amazing!  There have been multiple board and batten mud rooms floating around Blogland so it just took a little research and we were off to Lowes to gather supplies. 

One inspiration photo from Casa de Lewis.

From Casa de Lewis

We have a tiny little "mudroom" as you walk in from the garage just off the kitchen.  It isn't functional.  I did have a stool and tiny shelf and a pin board in there where I just piled things until they fell on the floor before I put them away.  I mean.... probably not the best method.

Here it is in all it 4'x6' glory.  On another note... any suggestions on how to get your dog to keep the food in the bowl?!?!

I just need a couple more things before the project is complete.  (One of my new years resolutions... finish Project A before moving on to Project B!)

Other projects that I am sure the  guilty sweet husband will finish up in the near future include the built-in desk for my vintage lockers AND getting the guest room painted (which I could totally do myself but I might as well milk it!).

Kandi

Entry Closet Makeover Part 3: Building The Bench

Entry Closet Makeover Part 3: Building The Bench

If you would have asked me 8 years ago when I married my husband (or even 3 weeks ago...) if he would be building things I would have laughed at you.  And I think he would have laughed too.  It is truly amazing how much more "handy" he has become.  I LOVE it!  As much as I would like the credit for talking him into doing this I truly think the motivation behind him starting this project came from a couple nay saying friends if we are being honest... those friends will remain nameless but your check is in the mail :-)

Amazingly this was finished in exactly one week and was worked on only at night after kids were in the bed. After going thru my Entryway Pinterest Board he set off to Lowe's. Lets be honest... I was worried.

1. Initial Frame

2. Power tools, at night... and yes.. he is wearing a headlamp... (if any of our college friends are reading this that headlamp should bring back memories)!

3. I am now aware that he could build a pretty awesome stage.  Next project maybe?

4. The framing is done and has lots of extra reinforcement including metal brackets in the corners.  Will says this makes it "fat ass certified".  His words... not mine!

Next came beadboard.  Hung horizontally, inspired by House of Smiths.  The drawers proved to be the hardest part.  It was a tight squeeze for a 6'5" man to get in and drill them down, in hind sight, don't attach the seat top until you have the drawer hardware installed! 

Last came trim work, paint and installing the hardware. 

He added the trim around the drawers to give a little more detail and I am in love with cup pulls right now.  I really wanted the big tall "coat and hat" hooks but they just wouldn't fit.  I think these lovelies will work just fine. 

If you really really want a full tutorial leave a comment and let me know.  I can probably talk Will into it.  From the outside looking in it appears to go like this, " measure, cut board, bring board in house, plethora of curse words, re-measure, re-cut, install, praise yourself and comment to everyone who will listen that you are the most talented person on the planet, repeat."  He is pretty talented and I am very proud.  He did prove me wrong!  This project has made all the difference in the world when you enter our house.   First impressions, you know! 

Big reveal next week!

Part 1: The Inspiration
Part 2: The Soft Stuff

Kandi

Entry Closet Makeover Part 2: The Soft Stuff

ENTRY CLOSET MAKEOVER

PART 2: THE SOFT STUFF

 

Our finished built in entry bench obviously has a cushion and loads of pillows (duh!). And if Will is figuring out how to make it as he goes without enlisting help then so am I (competative much?) Guess what... I'm not an expert sewer!  That is Rebekah!  I sew pillows and the occassional curtain panel.  Squares and rectanges... very straight forward, and both of those need not be perfect to look perfect.  A cushion cover on the other hand must be perfect to look perfect.  Your measurements and cuts must be exact in size and exactly square.  YIKES!  Hard for a self proclaimed "non-perfectionist". 

So, I set out for the perfect tutorial in blogland.  I read tons of great ones but there was one AMAZING tutorial out there.  Pictures of every single step and very detailed.  Since I was completely clueless this is what I needed. 

Perfectly Portable Cushion Tutorial

The only step I modified was not adding the handles since I didnt need my cushion to be portable.  I honestly can't say enough good things not only about this tutorial but also about the entire Sew, Mama, Sew! empire.  Have you ever ordered fabric from them?  Great customer service, prices and turn around time.  Sign up for their emails and coupons come through frequently.  I'm a fan (can ya tell?)

For my foam insert I went to the Foam and Fabric Outlet in Fletcher, NC.  They cut me a perfect 53" x 22" x 3" insert and it only cost $22 which I thought was great!

So, just yesterday I said I would reveal tomorrow but, imagine this, we've had a change of plans.  I simply cannot find baskets I like so I am heading down to visit my sister in Charlotte tomorrow and we are going to hit the Pottery Barn Outlet, Ikea, the worlds largest TJ Maxx, and the bar.  If I can't find what I need between all those places then I just need to give up.  I will find them though!

Here is a sneak peak of how it's coming along.  I ADORE it!!!

Check out the piping!  I did that!

My lovely "gusset".  I learned that word in her awesome tutorial as well as how to do that perfectly hidden zipper.

View ENTRY CLOSET MAKEOVER PART 1: THE INSPRIATION here. 

 

Kandi

Entry Closet Makeover: Part 1

ENTRY CLOSET MAKEOVER

PART 1:  THE INSPIRATION

The stars aligned for me this week!  We moved into this house just a little less than two years ago.  The very first time I walked through the front door I hated this...

Who could blame me!!! It's bad! I think the first thing that came out of my mouth when we came to the open house was, "well, those are ugly!". I even got Will to draw up this awesome plan very early on (clearly, it just became a piece of scrap paper for Gray... that is not part of the design :-)

He's a really great artist!!! I just need some follow thru!

Lately I've been pinning and planning. I am ready for this project to be checked off the list. I decided that maybe if I did a little "mock up" of what I wanted I could get him on board. Because, lets face it... I only wish I had the skills to do this myself! I cleaned everything out of the closet and HOLY MOLY the amount of stuff that little space held was completely unreal! And, completely unnecessary! It had become a dumping ground of the worst kind! This picture doesn't even show the giant basket of shoes or the 5 gallon bucket holding all the baseball and soccer gear. We do not need a selection of 17 coats to choose from each morning.  All of this stuff needs to be where is belongs and I'm not worried about losing the space to "hide" all this mess.  I grabbed a bench, some cushions, the pillows from my couch, the kids toy baskets, and a  picture from the garage floor and about 5 minutes and a cell phone picture later he was on board with starting the project!


This plan worked!!!  He LOVED the "mock up"!! 

On to some real inspiration.... is there anywhere else to get that except Pinterest? 

1.  Jenny Johnston Interiors.  I LOVE the planked walls seen here.

2.  Jackie Morra Interiors via Apartment Therapy.  Lots of places to hide things here.

3. Honey We're Home.  Lots of pillows and hooks.

4. The House of Smiths.  AMAZING tutorials here on the entire project!

Step 2 is getting started tonight!  I'm off to pull down the shelf, bar, and shoe molding, and take the measurements for a trip to Lowe's tonight.  I'm am over the moon excited and and hoping to have this done by June 1st... just in time for Rebekah to drive in, sit down, and take her shoes off here!  Wish us luck! 

YAY!!!

Kandi

7 Console Changes

Were you able to find the seven changes I made to my mudroom's console table?  Some are really easy to spot, and some are a little bit harder...well maybe one is a little harder to spot.



Here is the list of changes I made to the space. 

1. Console Table

2. Mirror

3. Orchids in Silver Punch Bowl

4.  Metal Wire Baskets (2)

5. Removed 1 Suitcase

6. Owl on the chair

7. New Lampshades

 I found a new place for my orchids.  They work better in this space because of the purple in the rug, and on the accent pillow in the chair.  Not shown in these pictures because of the owl.  I found this amazing mirror at TJ Maxx for only $29!  The frame is distressed, with silver leaf and gold paint.  It is beautiful and works perfectly wit my wall color.  I found the lampshades at Tuesday Morning.  They cost $6.99, and I think they completely transform the lamps. 

I traded a suitcase for another basket.  I found these two wire basket at TJ Maxx.  It was a little bit of a spluge at $16, and $30 respectively, but I think worth the money.  The small basket is perfect for the kids shoes, and the larger basket....well I think you know what I am about to write.  The wicker basket that was holding our shoes before was not holding up to the job well.  Little bits of wicker kept breaking off the basket.  These new baskets take a beating, and still look great. 

This little owl has made his way from my home's workroom to Donna's home.  I really hope her son likes him!  These little owls have been so well received, I have decided to sell them locally in town at Urban Merchant. This little guy sells for $35.  If you live near Lynchburg, I hope you get a chance to stop in and see Michelle.  She has an amazing shop, and it a great supporter of local artists.  If you do not live locally, and you want to buy an owl, send me an email at wovenhome@hotmail.com

Rebekah

Have you noticed someone missing from our blog this past week?  Kandi's computer died earlier this week, so she has not been able to work on posts.  Please tell her how much you miss her and her projects.  I know I miss her posts!  I am hoping she can get her computer back soon!

Mudroom Reveal

My mud room is finally finished!

                           



I love the way it turned out.  If you remember my budget for this room was $200; and I have to confess that I went a little over budget by about $50.  However, I was able to reuse many of the items in this room, which really helped me stay close to budget.  If you look closely, you will see that I kept the rug, one of the benches, a chair, coat rack, mirror, art, and a few other accessories. 

I don't think I have shared my before pictures with you.  So here they are.....plain white walls, miss matched furniture and lots of shoes!

Look at all that stuff!  I need storage!

View from the door, looking into my house

I wish this picture was not so blurry, but do you remember the buffet I purchase for $100?

My Mud Room Now.....

Wow! What a difference!

I placed a console and a chair on the left wall.  Now I have a place to set mail, keys and lets face it everything else. I am so glad I moved this chair next to the table.  I can now sit down and take off my shoes without walking across the room.  Baskets and vintage suitcases hold shoes and out of season items.  My large antique crock is the perfect place for my kids to throw their scarves and hats.  I find that if I make storage visible and easy for my kids they are more likely to put their things away than leave them on the floor!

View toward the door

Remember that $100 buffet?  It is amazing what a little paint can do!  Look at all that hidden storage!  This piece of furniture holds shoes, art supplies, hats, mittens, and so much more.  By far this was my biggest expense.  I spent $150 on this project.  (buffet + paint)

Coat hooks, bench and buffet (Sorry about the sun)

Chalk Heart Garland (I could not help myself, I had to do a little Valentine's Day decorating)
Hearts from Micheals, painted with chalkboard paint, wired together.   Idea from Pinterest.

Chalk painted hearts a + r = j & c

My hubby and my initials = our sons' initials....

I had the antique coat hooks and bench....but I need extra storage.  We are a shoeless home and tripping over my kids shoes every time I walk through this room drives me crazy!  So I needed a place for the kids to put their shoes.  These metal baskets from TJ Maxx are perfect and each child has their own bin. (metal baskets $8 each) I also bought a vintage sap pale for $6!  It is perfect for wet umbrellas.

So I have to confess I did not have time to make pillows for the bench, so I took a couple of my valentine's pillows home from Boudoir.  These are going back, and they are for sale....(but they do look pretty cute here on my bench.....)

I made this little cafe curtain from a single vintage pillow case. 

Look at the detail!  Beautiful!

a new place for mail

a little chalk paint can go a long way

Isn't it amazing what a little bit of paint, and rearranging the furniture can do for a room!  Before I was embarrassed to have people enter my house through my mud room.  Now I look for excuses to walk into this space.  I love it,  I know that if may not be as fancy as some of the mudrooms I see on Pinterest, but for a $250 budget, it is a space that makes me proud.  To recap; my $250 was spent on the buffet, wall paint (Behr Wheat Bread in an eggshell finish), and various accessories.  I hope this mudroom reveal encourages you to go out and make your spaces beautiful;  just because you don't have a large budget does not mean you can't make changes to your home that make you proud. 

Rebekah

p.s. We were in Hendersonville this past weekend, and I think Kandi is almost ready to reveal her family room. I can't wait to see the pictures.  You are not going to believe the transformation!

Here is where we link up!

A Muddy Update

Thursday was a magical day in my kingdom, both of my children went back to school!  And I was finally able to start work on my mudroom.  I have been dreaming of a more efficient and beautiful space but I don't have a big budget, only $200.  I am fortunate that I have a couple of pieces that I can repurpose for this project.  I already  have a wall of hooks, a  bench, and a rug that will  be used in this space.  I would love to replace my rug, but I am afraid that is just not in my budget.  But if it was here are a couple of rugs that have caught my attention.....

Garnet Hill Bogart Flat Weave

 West Elm, Andalusia Dhurrie

Garnet Hill  

I love the overall look of this last space!  I wish I was bold enough to paint my doors.....maybe....

Here are a couple pictures that have the feel I am after.....



I am going to leave you with one last picture...

  I purchaced this china cabinet for a whooping $100 at my local estate store.  I think that it will meet all of my storage needs.  It was built in the 50's so it is solid wood constuction with dove tailed drawers.  But boy is it ugly!  When looking for a second hand piece of furniture, look at the quality of constuction, and its lines.  In my case I wanted a sturdy piece that would hold up to two boys opening and closing doors and drawers.  This cabinet is going to be perfect. 
  I only have $100 left, and I will give you a hint to where that money is going.....Paint Paint and More Paint!

Rebekah

A Muddy Mess

I hope everyone had a wonderful and family-filled Christmas.  We have been blessed to have several visitors in the past month; some for just a night, and others for over a week.  We have had so much fun taking the kids on special outings, cooking, eating, watching movies.  I love having people visit, but I don't love is my mud room, and the mountains of shoes , coats and boxes I have to pass to enter or leave my home; and the mess seems to multiply with the number of people; leaving me with a muddy mess!

So I am dreaming of organizing my space so that it looks beautiful even with company.  Here are a few inspiring spaces.....

My dream mudroom will have a space for coats and shoes, but it will also have a garden center.  I would love to have a fair number of built-ins, which will not come cheap, but until I can afford my dream space, I need to do a little revamp on my existing space; because this is only going to be a temporary solution, I don't want to spend more that $200 total on this project. I am going to try and tackle my shoe situation, have an attractive greeting area, and provide a space for coats, and give my guests a place to sit.  Lets see if I can make this happen....if you have any good ideas, please send them my way.....

Rebekah