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Do YOU have a messy, disorganized spot in your house that you walk past every day and it makes you feel AWFUL?? (Please say yes. PLEASE.) One little corner of our laundry room has always been a problem area for us. You’ve never seen it because I WOULD NEVER SHOW IT TO YOU. I’d rather share the finished, fun views like this:

Oh, but if you could see behind me. I mean, it’s not horrific, but it’s soooo not cute. Here’s a peek:

This is the cleaned-up version. Ryan’s golf clubs are usually sitting here as well (we don’t have a garage), and it has become a tripping hazard! I walk past this area more than any other area of our home, but because it’s not shared in the public eye, it never gets addressed. This week I decided it was time to FLIP THE SCRIPT and create a darling little corner that makes me happy!

Here’s the design plan:

-Must be cute.

-Must be organized.

-Daring to be different.

-An “Anthropologie” type feel…vintage-ish with modern touches.

Before we get started, let’s talk about what IS working in our laundry room:

From this angle, you can see NONE of the mess (which is why I share it! haha) and you can see my very FAVORITE thing about this much-used room. The flooring! This STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl (find it here) has proven to be the BEST decision over and over. Water-proof, slip-resistant, and the perfect “concrete” look that hides dirt, dog hair, and who knows what else…a design decision that we are SO PLEASED with, even 2 years later! Since we love the flooring, it played a big role in choosing the color for our messy corner update. Ready to see?

“WHAT THE HECK?” (I know that’s what you’re thinking. Ha,ha) So we kicked things off with a beautiful green (Sherwin Williams “Inland”), reminiscent of a green chalkboard. I’ve always wanted to try a green chalkboard wall, with a wash over it to give it a “freshly erased” look…this was the perfect opportunity! Most of the laundry room is white shiplap, so a little green accent wall sounded fun.

I’ll admit. At this point I was a little scared. But that’s usually a sign that I’m gonna LOVE IT. No risk, no reward, right?

You might notice we opted to paint right over the ugly electrical box. I felt a little wild doing something like that (I don’t get out much, haha) but HEY, we are LIVING ON THE EDGE OVER HERE! After 3 coats of our “Inland” green, it was time to move on to the next exciting step…

Who on earth rubs an old t-shirt dipped in watered down white chalk paint all over their freshly painted walls?

THIS GIRL.

Yesssss. It’s completely uneven and completely out of the box. But it’s also artistic, creative, and exactly the look I was going for! A freshly-erased chalkboard. A backdrop for the next step. But first, I’ll tell you my very fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants process:

I used Magnolia white chalk paint, poured a little in a cup and watered it waaaaaaay down (approx. 1 part paint to 4 parts water), dipped an old t-shirt into the mixture, and wiped it on the wall. I had to work incredibly fast as it dries quickly.  Working in small sections, I’d wipe it on with my right hand, and rub it back off with a dry towel in my left hand. I felt like I was working on a movie set…doing some kind of fun faux finish. This is the STUFF, people. The unplanned, trial & error stuff that makes me OH SO HAPPY.

Once I completed the “chalk wash” portion, I was a bit concerned that it looked too uneven. At that point I went back over it with a large paintbrush, dipped in the chalk paint mixture. I did long vertical strokes, and used the dry towel to blend it. This made it appear a bit more consistent. BUT. I discovered it didn’t really matter anyway, because the next layer was about to make it allllllll come together! Any guesses?

Yep, you know me so well! A stencil! This pretty rose stencil was admittedly an unexpected choice for ME, but I LOVE it. (Find the stencil here.) It adds a touch of femininity to this hard-working room, and a vintage look that gives me all the warm fuzzies! I used acrylic craft paint (Folk Art “Vintage White”) and my biggest tip for stenciling is to use HARDLY ANY paint. A fairly dry brush gives a softer, more faded, “worn-in” look and less of a “HEY I JUST LEARNED TO STENCIL” look.

Can you feel my happiness in the pic above? Gahhhh….creating is such a mood-booster!

When we purchased our 1890 farmhouse, it was covered in at least 3 layers of wallpaper in EVERY room. You can probably guess why I’m a little resistant to using wallpaper here. This is why I’m so IN LOVE with stenciling! The look of wallpaper, without the commitment! If we get tired of it? A quick coat of paint will erase the whole thing.

Since there were no expansive areas to stencil in this particular room, I opted to work in vertical strips, as if I was wallpapering. The dogs patiently waited for me as I tapped my stencil brush lightly against the wall to complete the look…my anticipation growing with each completed “block!”

Once complete, I stood back to take a look. I hardly recognized this little spot!

Here are my thoughts in this moment:

I love it. (Can you feel the “but” coming?)…However, the way I choose to decorate it will be important. I have an appreciation for vintage, but I also love a modern twist to keep it more “us.” That’s what I’ve come to appreciate about the beautiful displays in Anthropologie…they always make it relevant with an artistic modern twist. Choosing a very clean-lined modern clock was a good way to keep this corner from being too sugary sweet. Does that make sense? Oh, I’ll just show you!

But first, remember the before:

And here’s the AFTER!

Another “before” view: (below)

And after!

I’m over the MOON excited! Even the dogs seem happier! The bright + fresh pillows, the hook rack for storage, a modern looking clock, a thrifted basket…it all came together to make my heart so happy. Taking a little time to brighten up a dull corner (that nobody ever sees…except us!) was such a JOY this week! What little spot in your home could use some love? I’d challenge you to try something a bit outside your norm. It might just be the “sunshine” you’re craving.

The post Laundry Room Refresh appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

Your style. It’s so YOU! But wait, what does that mean? We are influenced by the things we see every day…social media, tv, Pinterest, friends…heck. I’m even influenced by the table next to me in a restaurant! (Oh! What is SHE having? That’s what I want!)

It’s easy to lose sight of our OWN personal style these days. I’ve even felt a little bit like a misfit because I like a big ‘ol combination of many styles! Country-colonial-boho-farmy-rustic with sweet details? Is that a style? It is to ME!

In order to narrow it down and give your own unique style a name, I’d suggest looking at pics that really grab your heart and write down the name of that style. Add to your list as you peruse social media, Pinterest, or when you’re out shopping! Then look over the list and pick out the styles that fit you best. It’s kinda fun to come up with your own “style name!”  Contemporary rustic ranch chic? Scandanavian sweetness? Mid-century simplicity with over-achiever details? Whatever you come up with, it’s unique to you.

Why is it important to name your style? Oh, it’s about to be so helpful. Just wait.

Here are a couple ways you can USE the power of knowing your style well.

•When shopping for flooring.

Oh sure, it SOUNDS like fun, but it’s an important decision! This is something you’ll likely only address a couple times in life, if you choose wisely. Since you already know your style and what YOU truly love, you can move on to the next criteria…the type of look that will “fit” your home.

Is your house new? Old? Do you live in the city? Or along a country road? When we were choosing flooring, we wanted to “honor” the history of our home (built in 1890), and keep it stylish but classic. We also considered our setting, which is in the country, meaning plenty of dust, mud, and water!

Another thing to consider when selecting flooring is who LIVES in your home. Our kids are basically grown, but these two (above) are a huge part of the family. Yep, sweet little Cooper + Hazel have our hearts, and we were after a durable surface that could stand up to their shenanigans. (We chose this 100% waterproof STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl, and oh how we love it!) Our “who” lead to the perfect product for us. A decision we are still happy with, years later. Click here to see a fun little video about this exact subject!

Ok! Another way you can use the power of knowing your style?

•When shopping for furniture (especially sofas!).

Why oh why OH WHY is it so daunting to choose sofas? Just me? We’ve purchased 3 sofa “sets” over the course of our 26 year marriage, and it’s always a decision over which we agonize. Since it’s a bit of an investment, it has to be comfy, and we’ll look at it every day, it can feel impossible. BUT WAIT! Remember your design style? We’ve GOT THIS, friends! That information right there will help you knock out the first criteria of SHAPE. After that, I like to recommend going as neutral as possible, with a fabric that is most likely to stand up to your life (or your toddlers, dogs, and grape-juice-loving guests).

ARE YOU HAVING FUN YET? I am! Knowing your own personal style well is such an advantage. It can be helpful with the big decisions in our homes, but also the smaller ones (paint color, accent furniture, decor…all of it!).

I can’t wait any longer! What’s YOUR style? We’d love to hear!

Find our  STAINMASTER® carpet here.

Find our wood-look STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl here.

Find our laundry room STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl here.

The post Your Style is So You appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

Has this happened to you? You finally get the beautiful opportunity to choose brand new flooring. You start daydreaming about how amazing that will be…to be the very FIRST person to walk across that new floor? To start from scratch with a look YOU CHOSE YOURSELF? Oh how wonderful!

But wait.

You walk into the flooring showroom and BAM. So. Many. Choices. Whatever happened to the dream of simply picking out a new floor and enjoying it? This feels like work. I’ve soooo been there (and this is my JOB!).

(At this stage of our renovation, we had a million decisions ahead of us! Below:)

I’ve got your back, friend. I find it helpful to follow these 3 guidelines before walking into that flooring showroom.

1. Do your research before you go.

Ever try going out to dinner with a group of people and no one will say what they really want to eat? So you’re forced to start with “Ok, what do you NOT WANT?”

Here’s what I mean.  Giving yourself some parameters to work within is helpful! Consider how you use the room. Is it a room where water is a factor (laundry room, kitchen, bathroom)? Do you have pets? Do you entertain a lot? Have you seen some flooring (on tv, social media, Pinterest) that you just love? Start looking at inspiration pictures before you shop, to help narrow your search.

Another HUGE part of the research phase is thinking through your space. Will the new flooring meet up with any existing flooring? Or any other types of flooring in the house? Chances are, this is something you’ll need to consider. During our renovation I was totally stumped on our laundry room. The trouble was, the laundry flooring would meet up with the hallway hardwood flooring, and I REEEEEALLY wanted luxury vinyl in the laundry room (since it’s waterproof and would stand up to our puppies). Silly me, I thought luxury vinyl only came in a wood look (which wouldn’t work next to real hardwoods)! I was over the moon when we came across this option from STAINMASTER® that resembles concrete! (below)

And look! It transitioned nicely from the hardwood. (Find our luxury vinyl flooring here!)

2. Know your style.

THIS IS HUGE. Your home is a reflection of YOU. You can look at inspiration pics all day long, but when decision time comes, be true to yourself. What makes YOU happy? What will make your home feel like “HOME” to YOU?

During our reno, one day I mentioned on our social media that we were going to put carpet in our bedrooms and on our stairs. We got plenty of messages from people saying “WHAT???? NO!!! You should put hardwoods everywhere!”

But we knew. We knew the cozy feel we wanted in our bedrooms. The sense of quiet that carpet would bring to our echo-y stairwell. The beautiful carpet that we had seen that would not cause one bit of sacrifice in the “pretty” department! To each their own, my friends!

We loved the way this pretty  STAINMASTER® carpet looked next to the wood-look STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl we chose for our kid’s bath upstairs (below). 

Find the STAINMASTER® carpet here (color: “cast”), and the STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl here.

3. Set your budget.

As a designer I’m always surprised that most clients don’t have a budget in mind when we start a project. The budget is the most important parameter. Why? Because it gives you a starting point! There are beautiful options in every price-point. If you go in with no limits, you’ll be sifting through a million options, and you may end up spending a whole lot more than you wanted. That said, flooring is not a place to skimp. Once your new flooring is installed, you won’t want the hassle of replacing it any time soon!

4. Ok I know I said there were 3 tips, but this one’s for free. EAT A SNACK before you go shopping for flooring. For reals. You’ll want your brain to be firing on all cylinders as you make these important decisions, and hey…who doesn’t love snack time?

Did that help? Are you ready to tackle the flooring showroom? YOU’VE GOT THIS!

Click here to see a fun video I got to create with STAINMASTER® on this exact topic!

The post Choosing Flooring with Confidence appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

When we moved in after the renovation, we couldn’t WAIT to get here. To actually LIVE here on the farm. But if you want to know the truth, move-in day was NOT what I had dreamed. The rooms here were so much different than our former home (a new construction/open floor plan/up-with-the-times place). Ugh. I’m ashamed to say that I was so hung-up on the fact that our new place had impossibly narrow & hard-to-situate rooms, I forgot to be thankful for a little bit.

The master bedroom was easier to decorate, as during the reno we reconfigured the space, and it actually felt like new construction. We threw our current furniture in there and called it good. There was nothing wrong with any of it. But after living here for over a year, we were READY for a change….something that felt more like US, and life here on Prairie Hill Farm.

Before we go any further, let’s remember how that master looked on the day we bought it.

Problem areas: LOW ceilings (under 8′), a very small bathroom (in the top left corner), and don’t get me started on the smell. The space was reconfigured during reno, the ceiling was opened up into the attic for a nice vaulted look, and everything was fresh & new, which took care of the smell.

Here’s how the room has looked for the last year:

Nothing WRONG with it, but it didn’t feel RIGHT for our new life here. BUT WHAT WOULD BE RIGHT?

Before I break any of that down, I’m just gonna show you! (Because I can’t keep secrets.)

THIS! This is US!!!

Here’s how I got started on the look:

1. Pinterest is usually a great place to start, but something weird happened. I couldn’t find ANYTHING that felt like us. But that got me excited. It’s fun to blaze a new trail for yourself. (Why wasn’t anyone else doing a ranchy-colonial-farmy-casual-cozy-boho bedroom? ha ha) I decided to start with the bed. Our old bed was beautiful, comfy & nice quality. Wait a second. WAS I CRAZY? Well of course. That’s how I knew I was on to something.

I fell in love with this bed when I saw it online. (You can find it here!) Only problem? It was out of stock. I signed up for the notification if it came back in stock, WHICH IT DID! (insert praise hands here.) Oh it was EVERYTHING to the new feel. Light & airy, simple, and fit every category. The price was SO GOOD I was actually skeptical!

Ryan put this bed together in no time, and assembly was SO EASY! (it’s a good one if you’re in the market!)

2. Next up? BEDDING. Help me now. Someone get me a snack and a diet coke. Because this is a monumental task. Ok, not really. Once I really dove into the search, it all came together. Here’s a tip. Interview yourself. How do you want your room to feel? What colors do you like? Are you “team duvet” or “team comforter?” And FOR SURE start your search online. Soooo much easier than driving all over town.

For me, it all started falling into place when I found this quilt. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. (You can find the Tallie Geo Print Cotton quilt here.)

Since the quilt had such a bold pattern, I knew it would be best used at the foot of the bed. So that meant we still needed a comforter. When I stumbed on THIS beauty, it was a total love connection!

The subtle stripe, little black stitching, and incredibly soft texture? GET. IN. MY. HOUSE. (find the comforter here! Such a bargain!)

3. Choosing a rug was my next task, and we are so happy with this one (find it here)! A great rug pad is key for helping to keep your rug in place, and also adds more padding to a flat weave rug. The pad we chose is also great for pets, as it will not allow accidents to seep down into the carpet below. (Find it here!)

Here’s Ryan rolling out the new rug pad…impressed with the quality!

4. The supporting players are important! Think nightstands, benches, lamps, etc. Since our new bed is more airy & open (not to mention HIGH, since we chose to use a boxspring), we knew our old nightstands didn’t quite work. They felt too light, open, & low. I am impatient and did NOT want to wait to order something online. We stumbled on the perfect solution in our local Hobby Lobby!

I just LOVE it when that happens!

The lamps needed an update as well (find them here), since the old ones would have been TOO MUCH of that wood tone. The only thing left was a bench for the foot of the bed! We did have one little cutie out in the barn, but it was in rough shape (see below).

Mmmmhmmm. Not exactly dreamy. YET. Ryan power-washed it like crazy, and I gave it a quick sand…Voila! Free bench!

Fun fact: did you know snake plants (see above) clean air better than most other indoor plants? They also absorb excess amount of carbon monoxide and can lead to better sleep. I think we need a few more of these around here!

5. I decided to shop our house for the finishing touches. Recognize the galvanized cow over the bed? (It’s on clearance now! Find it here.) Moving things around the house gives me a whole new appreciation and makes them look brand new.

It feels so good to have this project complete, and to have a cozy retreat at the end of a long day!

What do you think? Is it anything like what you expected? Could your master bedroom use a little spruce-up too?

The post Master Bedroom Update appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

Finally! The day is here! I have been so excited to share this beautiful vacation rental with you. If you follow along on Instagram, you may remember I recently flew to Florida to lend a hand with decorating this newly completed vacation rental, belonging to Jess @carcabaroad and her husband Jody! Jess and I had so much fun shopping til we dropped, and decorating our hearts out for a few days in April.

It all started with this beautiful STAINMASTER® flooring (you can find this particular one here!). Jess caught the attention of the folks at STAINMASTER® when she was answering constant questions about the beautiful flooring in her own home, each time she posted a pic on Instagram (you can find her @carcabaroad). Knowing that we are super big fans of the flooring over here too, STAINMASTER® teamed us up to decorate together, and OH HOW WE LOVED EVERY MINUTE!!!

Jody & Jess Davis have been building homes since 2012. The first home they built was for themselves, and then it became a vacation rental when they built a new home in 2018.

 The Davis’ got their start when the market crashed and land was relatively cheap on the island where they reside in St. Augustine, Florida. But then, the hurricanes happened. With Matthew hitting in 2016, followed by Irma in 2017, a lot of folks were moving away. Jess describes the scene like this: “It looked like a warzone in our neighborhood for months. There were piles of people’s belongings just sitting out by the street.” As you can imagine, there were suddenly a lot of properties available, including one such home that Jody & Jess purchased, renovated, and turned into a vacation rental.

Thankfully, since the Davis’ homes were all new construction and built really well, they weathered the storms, and now this power couple continues to pursue their passion in Florida. They are blessed to live close to plenty of family, and their 4 sweet kiddos keep them on their toes!

ARE YOU READY TO SEE THE VACATION RENTAL???

In the planning stages, Jess knew she wanted a coastal beach house vibe, with some mid-mod boho touches (a departure from her usual farmhouse style!). The key to the whole thing was to keep the surfaces light & bright, so that color could be brought in with the furniture and decor. And here’s the kicker: since this is a vacation rental, there are guests of all kinds: kids, snowbirds, large family groups, you name it! Selecting a flooring option that could stand up to it ALL (including sand, water, and damp beach towels) was of utmost importance.

And then, Jody & Jess made an amazing design decision: they opted to run this beautiful STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl throughout the entire home. From the entry, to the kitchen, to the bathrooms. And let me tell you,

IT IS DREAMY.

In the living room, we brought in some warmth with a big area rug, woven accents, and an armload of super cozy pillows. Jess found the sectional on CraigsList (she’s an amazing bargain-hunter!), and her uncle Guy was our hero when it came to hanging all the decor in the house!

Our color palette was inspired by these vintage dining chairs (also a CraigsList find!). Doesn’t it just SCREAM Florida vacation?? If you come to stay in this pretty home, there will be room for the whole family to gather around the table!

The kitchen is airy, bright, and oh-so-beautiful! Jess told me the flooring actually inspired her counter top choice. Isn’t it stunning?

The kitchen rug was a “Tuesday Morning” find. It adds such a fun splash of color in here!

I literally could NOT stop taking pictures when I was there. This house is such a breath of fresh air!

On the main level of this house there are two master suites. This room has beautiful dramatic dark walls (this is Sherwin Williams “Tricorn Black”) and is super spacious.

Notice how the STAINMASTER® flooring runs straight into the master bath. Seamless!

The other main level master bedroom is flooded with light and is made for total relaxation.

Are you ready to book your stay yet? I AM!!!!

This cheerful bath (below) is just off the bedroom. What a retreat!

Let’s go upstairs! At the top of the steps you’ll find a great loft bonus area, perfect for the kiddos to play.

Speaking of kiddos, how about this bunk room? (below)

On the other side of the 2nd level is one more beautiful bedroom (below).

The “St. Augustine Beach” sign was one of our favorite purchases (from Alton Creatives) on our whirlwind shopping adventure! We felt like it just completed this room!

The mirror (below) was found at Kirkland’s, and the vintage table/chest was a fun way to add character to this new house.

Outside, near the pool, Jess & I added some fun hanging battery-operated lanterns to the trees. Such a magical touch! I can hardly wait to see them at night.

If you’re going to be in the St. Augustine, Florida area, and you need a great place to stay, check this place out here!

Want to see the video we created with STAINMASTER® while decorating this home? We can’t wait to share it! See it here!!

A HUGE thanks to the team at STAINMASTER® for putting this whole thing together. This was a dream collaboration and we had a blast!!

Ok, so tell us!!! WHATCHA THINK???

The post A Dream Vacation Rental appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

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Is YOUR floor your favorite thing EVER?? Most of us would say NO. If you didn’t get to choose your own flooring, chances are you’re forced to “make do.” Well, gosh, that doesn’t sound great, does it? MAKE DO??? There must be a better way. Oh good, I’m glad you said that because that’s exactly what I’m proposing today.

Before we dive in, let’s start with the optimal choice: replacement of undesirable flooring. If you’re building, renovating, or planning for a future remodel, you’ll want to start researching the best options out there. As we all know, it’s important to make an informed decision in this area, as floors can take a beating! When we purchased our 1890 farmhouse, it was apparant that replacement of the current carpet was our best bet. Do you remember this? (below)

Beside the fact that the entire house would be undergoing a dramatic and complete renovation, you can see why the carpet MIGHT NOT have been my favorite. (Neutral-loving girl here!) We definitely wanted to stick with carpet in the bedrooms, for warmth and coziness, but we had a different vision for this space. Here’s a look at the same room (below), AFTER our beautiful new Stainmaster® PetProtect® carpet was installed (it hadn’t even been vacuumed yet, oops!).  Oh how we love it! We chose this fun patterned carpet (find it here Color: Cast), and almost a year later, it’s holding up BEAUTIFULLY!!!!! And I’ll tell you what, our pup gave it a good ‘ol test too!

The laundry room in our old beauty was carpeted when we bought the place (ya, probably not optimal!). Here’s how it looked on the day we signed papers:

We were thinking of something slightly less “in-your-face.” Since this room doubles as our mud room/dog room, we wanted something durable, waterproof, pretty, and also patterned in some subtle way to hide dirt. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? I didn’t think so either! We fell in love with this Stainmaster® PetProtect Luxury Vinyl, and it has lived up to every single expectation.

After looking at endless options for flooring, pinning plenty of inspiration pics (follow us on Pinterest here!), and considering how each room of our new (old) home would function, our choice was easy. Easy-care, durable floors for the win!

THAT BEING SAID, sometimes replacement is not an option, yet.

Maybe your place is on the “older” side. Maybe you’re renting. Maybe you actually chose your own floors years ago, but 2 dogs, 4 kids, and 62 spills later, those floors are due for an update. OR maybe there’s a way to love (or at least LIKE) the floors you already have!

Stick with me. It’s gonna take a little out-of-the-box thinking, and some ingenuity, but YOU CAN DO IT! Ready? Let’s tackle those floors!

FIRST WAY TO LOVE YOUR CURRENT FLOOR: IGNORE IT.

Ok, don’t be mad. But maybe it’s not that bad? Worn carpet, showing its age with some stains and wear? Easy. Make the rest of the room so attention-grabbing, no one will be looking at the floor. Sure, it’s not optimal, but does the rest of your room look like you care? Like you had a plan? Follow our easy recipe to creating a pulled-together room here: 7 Steps to Cozy. 

SECOND WAY TO LOVE YOUR CURRENT FLOOR: CAMOUFLAGE THAT PUPPY.

In other words, COVER IT UP!! I decided to challenge myself on this one. When we purchased our 128-year-old home, the rooms were, *ahem*, “colorful.” All of those old surfaces were stripped away during the renovation, but I’m pretending like they weren’t. Let me refresh your memory on this eyeful below:

Could that carpet BEEEEEE any brighter? Yowza. But, sometimes you gotta MAKE IT WORK! Using “Way #2”, my solution here would be a big ‘ol cover-up. A pretty rug, OVER the carpet. First, I’d neutralize the rest of the room by removing the wallpaper, or painting over it, if possible. There are just too many things fighting for our attention here. Agreed? The curtains would come down as well, as they’re blocking too much light (not to mention MORE BLUE). Just for fun, I put together a little design board for inspiration and to demonstrate the new direction. Wanna see? (below)

Pretend the “blue room” is in your house, and as your designer, here’s how I’m making a case for the new look:

The pretty rust tones in the rug will instantly warm up this cold-feeling room. You could layer the jute rug underneath for even more texture. Or, if the rust rug is too much color, the jute rug can stand on its own! (I recommend ordering the biggest one that will fit in the room…leaving only a small border of the current blue carpet.) The walls will be painted your favorite white, Sherwin Williams “Alabaster.” The wood bed, clean-lined nightstand, and faux olive tree (placed in one of the baskets shown) will be a breath of fresh air in this forgotten space! For bonus points, I’d suggest hanging these pretty curtains on the OUTSIDE of the window niche, all the way up at the ceiling. This way we don’t block the beautiful sunshine that’s struggling to stream into the room.

So? Would you go for that idea if you were the client? Do I still have a job? If you’re curious, you can find links to all the items shown here:

Nathanson Terracotta Area Rug. • Deziree Hand Braided Natural Area Rug. • Curtains. • Jaiden Panel Bed. • Faux Olive Tree. • Baskets. • Nightstand. • Lamp.

THIRD WAY TO LOVE YOUR CURRENT FLOOR: TRY A DIY PROJECT.

Recently my sister, Julie (you can find her on Instagram @signsofserendipity), tackled an amazing DIY in her kid’s bathroom. Here’s what it looked like before:

She was looking for budget-friendly options for bringing an updated farmhouse feel to the room. And then, she happened upon the most fun way to transform her dated vinyl floors…a stencil! I’m not saying it was easy, because I know she worked like crazy to get in every nook & cranny. But OH BOY did her hard work pay off! She’s kicking herself for not documenting the process, but there are plenty of tutorials out there if you’re up for the challenge! Here’s how Julie’s project turned out:

Way to go Julie!!! Those floors are a show-stopper! And wanna know a secret? The walls are peel & stick wallpaper, made to look like subway tile. Genius.

So we’ve looked at replacement, ignoring the ugly, camouflaging the undesirable, and DIY-ing the heck out of a less-than-pretty spot. Wherever you are on your flooring journey (does that sound glamorous or what?), don’t forget to consider…how are your floors working for YOU? Love the one you’re with, or start dreaming about the next one!

The post 3 Ways to Love the Floor You Have appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

It’s our first fall on the farm!!! As I type those words I still can’t believe we’re here. Ladies & Gentleman, it’s been a journey. And today it’s all-kindsa-fun to share our fall porch with YOU! Plus, I’m joining a bunch of sweet friends on a fall blog hop. You’ll find the links to their amazing blogs at the end of this post, and let me assure you, YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THEM. These girls are incredible.

A successful porch-decorating session should start with planning, right? Oops. Guess I’m not doing it right then. I’m not much of a planner, but I do have overall goals for the outcome. This year I felt a bit overwhelmed. One of my favorite things about this place is that we have TWO porches to decorate, and since porch-decor is my FAVORITE, you’d think that would be a good thing?? But still. Could I do it justice?

Back to the goals. All I knew is that I was after 3 qualities: I wanted it to feel inviting, cheerful, and NOT like an explosion of the craft store on my porch. Ha, ha! My favorite place to start, as always, is at a local pumpkin farm. I mean, the experience itself is half the fun!

This year, Lindsay Heiser, of Heiser Farms, invited my friend Anne (of Pedal Home Interiors) and me out to her farm to pick ALL the things! We grabbed our hubbies and headed out to their beautiful place…and oh my, WHAT A TREAT!

(Here I am with Anne & Lindsay…we had a wild ride!)

Lindsay took us for a crazy ride through the corn maze (and we got lost, but she won’t admit it! hahaha), and then out to pick corn stalks, and all kinds of BEAUTIFUL pumpkins! I was in hog heaven. Every minute of it.

We thanked Lindsay and were on our way. Once we arrived home, Ryan & I unloaded the truck onto the back porch, and there it sat, in all of its glory! I mean, how can you go wrong with such pretty things from nature?!

This year I started with the front porch, since it’s smaller. It seemed less daunting to tackle.

All of my go-to fall basics are here…pumpkins, corn stalks, a straw bale, mums, and a few cozy comfort items! In case you’re wondering about the less-glamorous part of farm life (critters & creatures), I sprayed the straw & corn stalks with some peppermint oil to discourage mice, and *knock on wood*, we haven’t had an issue. These items have been out there for almost a month, and everything is still intact!

The cozy throw is a vintage find from a few years ago (it usually makes an appearance on our fall porch every year!), the orange pillow is one that I stenciled myself, and you can find the “harvest blessings” pillow here.

On to the back porch!

Once I got started it was nothing but fun. Adding all of these brilliant fall colors to the back porch gave me a whole new love for our home!

HOWEVER. I needed some kind of a focal point/statement piece. I went through our storage area looking for the perfect thing, and nothing was ringing that bell, friends. WHY ME WHY ME WHY DON’T I HAVE THE PERFECT STATEMENT PIECE??????? Ha, ha!  Sounds silly, but I was actually mad at myself for not planning this out better.

AND THEN. Ahhh ha!!! Wait a second! Lightbulb moment.

I had ordered this black & white “background” sign from my girls at Details 2 Enjoy (meant for INSIDE). WHAT IF I used it to back a “fallish” word and become the focal point? The more I thought about it, the more I hurried to grab my keys and run to the craft store to find the word (“harvest” is from Michael’s, and I just slapped some golden yellow craft paint on it!). Badda bing…problem solved.

Gahhhhh….yes. Popping off the white house? Yes. I love it when an idea “locks in” and it turns out how you’d hoped!

This leads me to a question I’ve heard a few times this year. “Is your porch visible from the road? Why would you go to all this trouble?”

Answer: Nope. The porch decorating…or inviting/cheerful/welcoming look I’m hoping to create isn’t for the people driving past the farm, on a country road at 50 mph. It’s for MY OWN FAMILY, loved ones, and cherished friends who come to visit. That’s what really matters, isn’t it? Our porches are the first impression people have when they arrive at our homes. It’s a worthy place to receive a little attention.

A few impactful pillows dressed up our old wood bench. You can find the mustard plaid one here, and the “harvest + blessings” pillow here!

I guess the BEST part about porch-decorating is this: It’s YOUR porch. YOU get to decide the feel you’re after, the first impression you want to give, and how you want to show YOUR personality out there. Take a look around your garage, your basement, or the back of that one closet. You might have something just waiting to be featured this autumn!

And just for fun, a few pumpkins made it out to our little gazebo, because HEY. Our guests see THAT before they even see the porch!

It’s been so much fun having you here on the farm today. And NOW, I can’t wait for you to visit with my friends! Don’t miss out on a single one!

Gratefully Vintage ¦ Pine & Prospect Home ¦ The Picket Fences ¦ Julie Warnock Interiors ¦ Little Vintage Nest

Proverbs 31 Girl ¦ Mindfully Gray ¦ Joyfully Rooted ¦ Yellow Prairie Interiors

Our Signature Swag ¦ Texas Sized Home

Another HUGE thank you to Lindsay at Heiser Farms for a wonderful farm-fresh experience!

The post Fall Porch Tour 2018 appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

This post sponsored by STAINMASTER®. All opinions are my own.

Building? Renovating? Congratulations! This will be such a fun, exciting process, full of challenges and decisions, joy & growth! Yes, growth…a friendly way of saying that this experience with s-t-r-e-t-c-h you. In a good way. I feel like you can never be TOO prepared, so hopefully this little post will help.

(Below) Here we are on the day we got the keys to our house! We didn’t even know the challenges that would lie ahead.

While there are MANY decisions to be made when building a new home, or renovating an older home, I’d love to focus on ONE IMPORTANT area that requires some thought. Flooring. When you think about it, the floors in your home will take the biggest amount of wear & tear. Not a day goes by that we don’t use THAT SURFACE in our homes. Then add in the needs of your specific family…for us, a dog, teenagers, gatherings, spills, mud, the “oops I forgot to take off my dirty shoes”..and the list goes on!

About 5 years ago we started the process of building a brand new home, and I’ll be honest. I didn’t put much thought into the durability factor of our floors. I was thinking more about the “looks” of things, and we paid the price. When it came to carpet selection, we chose the very budget-friendly option, which didn’t hold up in a key high-traffic area…the stairs. Ugh. A couple years into enjoying our new home, we chose to replace the carpeting on the stairs with something more durable, and much better looking.

Fast forward to December 2017, and the start of the major renovation of our 1890 farmhouse. THIS TIME we would do things differently. Flooring would be a huge consideration for us, and we wanted to select something that wouldn’t need replacing any time soon (renovation isn’t cheap, so let’s choose something that will LAST!).

One of the first rooms we considered was the laundry/mud room, for obvious reasons (MUD ROOM = better choose something DURABLE). Here’s what we knew:

1. We LIVE in our house. It’s not a model home. (But of course I wanted it to be pretty!)

2. Due to the nature of what this room would be used for, something waterproof would be amazing.

3. Pet-friendly was a MUST. (And preferably something that didn’t require grout, which can show pet stains.)

We landed on a product we are crazy about. This STAINMASTER® PetProtect “Free Expressions” in “Dove” by Phenix Flooring reminded me of concrete, which fit the look we wanted perfectly, but it’s so much more than a pretty face. Here’s what we love most about it:

-100% waterproof

-scratch resistant

-stain/scuff resistant

For us, it’s been nice to have flooring we don’t have to worry about!!

In our upstairs kids bath, we also elected to use luxury vinyl, the STAINMASTER®PetProtectPhenix “Free Expressions” Santa Fe Collection in “Toasted Brown” by Phenix Flooring. Now here’s another room we would like to NOT worry about. When you have teenagers that love having lots of friends over, just trust me here. Beyond the practical side, we also loved this option for the look! I mean, it’s pretty tough to put hardwood floors in a bathroom and be carefree, right? But the look of hardwood is everything to this all-white bath!!

And now I’m about to say a word that some consider a bad word. CARPET. (gasp!) We actually got quite a few notes from folks that were shocked we were putting carpet in our newly renovated home. REALLY? You’re shocked?? I love carpet for so many reasons, and especially THIS carpet.

Let’s start with the appearance. This patterned carpet from STAINMASTER®PetProtect(find it here) was just the classic, neat & tidy feel we were after. Carpet adds instant coziness, quiets an echo-ey staircase, and brings that feeling of home we were wanting! But there’s another layer to this onion.

Meet Cooper. The newest little member of the family, full-time house dweller…and *ahem* carpet tester. That’s right, we knew our carpet would have to stand up to ALL members of the family.

Needless to say, when selecting carpet we were pretty excited to learn about STAINMASTER®PetProtect. With built-in stain resistance that resists even the most difficult pet stains, we feel free to live our lives! When accidents happen, it’s not the end of the world. Ummm, game changer.

It’s no secret that Cooper is our WORLD. The sweetest pup on the planet, and welcome in any room in the house.

Let’s talk about another benefit of carpet…it covers a multitude of sins. Newsflash: Our house has VERY UNEVEN floors. It was built in 1890, and renovated a few times over the years…sooo, ya. My office (above) has the most noticeable unevenness, so it was carpet to the rescue! As I sit in here today (with Cooper happily laying under my chair), I’m so thankful we opted to put this pretty carpet in here. Who doesn’t want to feel cozy while working??

(below) Carpet brings the cozy to the bedrooms in our home!

If I were with you today, helping you make some of your surface selections for your new home or renovation, I would definitely ask you to consider practicality. And remind you that in the every-day world, you’ll be so happy you took the time to find flooring that will make your life easier!

Best wishes for a smooth process, friends!

The post So You’re Building/Renovating a House appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

So. I’ve been known to over-exaggerate from time to time (BABE!!! There’s a spider the size of my head on the porch!!). But I gotta say, I’m a sucker for a pretty plumbing fixture. It feels like this is an area that’s often glossed-over during a renovation or new build, but the right faucet can really drive home your desired aesthetic. And THEN, when a faucet is more than just a pretty face, well, that’s a home run.

Once upon a time (8 months ago) we started our #renovationontheprairie, the complete transformation of our 1890 farmhouse. The bad news? Allllllll of the plumbing had to be completely replaced. The silver lining? BRAND NEW plumbing fixtures for mama.

This particular renovation was begging for something classic. I could feel it…chrome. Yep. Clean, simple, and timeless. But there was one little spot in the house that called for something unique: the laundry/mud room. (And let’s face it, we can’t have EVERYTHING consistent…how boring! haha)

The clean lines of this Trinsic Single Pull-Down faucet from Delta were just what I had in mind. And flat black? GET IN MY CART. A bit modern, but so very simple. Perfect for this highly used room.

The kitchen is one of the first things you see upon entering our home. The sink area is such a focal point, and obviously one of the MOST used areas of the house. While durability & function were our most important considerations, let’s face it, it had to be pretty too.

The Delta “Cassidy” Single Handle Pull Down Kitchen Faucet fit the bill perfectly. We just adore the classic lines and pretty chrome finish.

This would not be the only plumbing fixture needed in the kitchen. Ever had one of those things on your list for “if you ever build again”? Two words: POT. FILLER. Ok, it’s true. I’m not a huge cook. But we had always wanted one of these beauties, and boy, is it fun!

We chose the Delta Traditional Wall-Mount pot filler, and I love how it goes with our Cassidy faucet! Another bonus to these chrome fixtures? They add some sparkle to our farmhouse kitchen!

Our kid’s bathroom was outfitted with the classic Delta Cassidy Two Handle Centerset Bathroom faucets, which add some nice interest. They also happen to go beautifully with the Cassidy Double Robe Hooks that we elected to use in lieu of towel bars!

When planning the design for our master bath, a few words came to mind…clean, simple, classic, spa-like. We chose the Delta Cassidy Two-Handle Widespread Bathroom Faucets for this room because we loved the Cassidy look, but wanted something a little more special for our en-suite (the wide-set handles give more of a custom look!).

The Delta Traditional Floor-Mount Tub Filler is a real show-stopper and definitely lends to the spa-like feel in this master bathroom. This is the first time in YEARS that we’ve had a tub in our bathroom, and I didn’t consider myself a bath person. Until NOW. The tub is from Delta as well, and you can find it here!

Overall, we are so happy with our faucets from Delta! Innovative, beautiful, classic, and an amazing warranty. What more can you ask?

Dear Delta,

THANKS for bringing some sparkle, beauty, and amazing function to our 1890 farmhouse!

Warmly, the Allbrittons

The post When Faucets are MORE than just Pretty appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.

Yep, that’s me. The girl who now wants to leave ALLLLLLLL the lights on!

Guys. It’s been so much fun sharing our completed #renovationontheprairie with you, but now I’d love the chance to break it down into some more specific areas. The details. The little touches that are so important to the finished product. And let’s start with something reeeeeeally fun…the barn lights!

We’re friends here, right? Great. Then it’s ok to admit I’ve been pretty much obsessed with Barn Light Electric for a few years now. And when we found our 1890 farmhouse and started dreaming about the renovation, I was already envisioning these Goodrich Marathon Porcelain Gooseneck Lights on our back porch.

These lights come in multiple colors and there are so many options for the gooseneck arm. We chose black, to really contrast against the white exterior, and the G26 arm was a good fit for us…not protruding into the walkway on the porch too much, but still adding the perfect amount of gooseneckness. (Yes. That is now a term.) The shades we chose are the 12″…normally I would go bigger, but again, we didn’t want to inhibit a comfortable walkway along the back porch. And WHY barn lights? Ummmm HELLO???? Predictable (but true) answer: “Cuz they’re cute.” Designer answer: “Because they drive home the aesthetic we were after with our project…a casual, inviting feel, inspired by our surroundings here on the farm!”

After deciding on a bold green for our Dutch door (Sherwin Williams “Arugula”), we thought it would be fun to tie that in to another area in the house. The powder bath was the perfect location…a tiny room that was so neutral, and could really use a shot of color!

The Bantam Wesco Sconce in Emerald Green  (10″ shade) was meant to be for this room!

Next up, the kitchen sink area. What a fun opportunity for unique lighting! Although we vaulted the kitchen ceilings up into an unused (creepy) storage closet, the actual wall height in the kitchen is still only 8′. Ya, that doesn’t leave much room for a light above the sink. But I don’t like it when people tell me no. We opted to put the light right on the window trim, and VOILA! Dreams came true! (I know, so dramatic.) Umm I mean, we solved the problem!

We are loving this Maritime Gooseneck Light as a fun accent in the kitchen. We chose the black 12″ shade, and the black G26 arm. Pssssst! Wanna know a secret? We actually ordered 2 different arm styles, because we couldn’t decide if this one would work with the vault. I was pleased as PUNCH when we held it up and it fit perfectly with the pitch of the ceiling!

And now, the LIVING ROOM. Ok. I knew I wanted some pretty sconces over the little square windows on each side of the fireplace. BUT. Would there be a sconce out there that I haven’t seen 2 billion times? Huh? Could there? One of the amazing folks at Barn Light Electric suggested one in particular that we might like…BINGO.

Ooooh gosh, I have such a crush on these Getty Dome Shade Wall Sconces. The skinny little arm. The unique shape. The black finish. Alllllll good. And so unique. These are the 8″ shades, and we selected the paddle switch for an extra detail. See it?

These lights have been “on” almost every night so far…they’re just so gosh-darn charming!

And GUESS WHAT? The renovations are NOT complete around here! We’ve got projects for YEARS to come…but one of the things we’re anxious to tackle is our little barn/shop. Since we just COULDN’T wait any longer, our electrician went ahead and installed the barn lights NOW, even before we’ve painted her or anything else. The extra light in the driveway at night is AWESOME! Wanna see? (Warning: this is just the start of this project!)

These are the Goodrich Marathon Porcelain Gooseneck Lights (same as the back porch!) but in the 16″ shade size. Ooooh. I feel like she’s pretty even JUST. LIKE. THIS.

Isn’t lighting FUN? As a designer, I feel like it’s one area that’s often overlooked. If you’re building or renovating, or you just need a quick little update, consider adding some unique light fixtures. Such a great way to personalize your home.

And don’t worry, I’ll leave the light on for ya!

The post Leaving the Light On appeared first on Yellow Prairie Interiors.