design and the city

a new appreciation this mother's day

2013-05-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

it was a cold january morning when i first found out our lives were about to drastically change. i already knew the answer but needed to see the confirmation for myself. i let the test lay on the bathroom counter and came back into the room again and again to stare at it in disbelief. could this be it?

i decided to wake rob up to show him, to make sure i wasn't dreaming. we both felt it seemed too good to be true and agreed to take another test again the next day. and the next day, the results flashed on the screen even faster than before.

several ultrasounds and pounds later, i think the reality has finally set in. we're having a baby!
it feels like such a gift and i'm so incredibly thankful.

16 weeks

this mother's day feels a little different as we look into our future and have a bigger appreciation for our own mothers than ever before.

happy mother's day to all you amazing inspiring mothers!

refinished kitchen cabinets

2013-04-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

our kitchen cabinets are oak and original to the house. although they have held up nicely, oak cabinets in general feel a little dated and country to me. there's also quite a lot of wood going on in one room: wood floors, wood trim, wood beams, wood doors, wood cabinets. it was screaming for a little more interest/contrast.

our realtor recommended getting the cabinets professionally refinished, and since painting the cabinets in our last kitchen had been such a tedious process, i was completely open to the idea of hiring it out this time around.

our kitchen looked like a scene out of dexter for a couple days. everything had to be taped off since the cabinets would be refinished using a sprayed lacquer.

color: Benjamin Moore Rockport Gray HC-105

total cost: $1400

$1400 at first seemed like a lot of money to me until we received a second bid back that was more than twice that amount. as much time as we spend in our kitchen, it was decided that the expense was worth it. i also knew i'd never be able to create as professional of a finish myself with a paint brush and roller.

(i'm still on the hunt for new hardware...)

what do you think of the end result?

our new dining light fixture

2013-03-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

do you remember our plans to replace the existing arts and crafts light fixture? since we have a 1960s ranch (and not a historic arts and crafts bungalow), the style didn't quite go with the architecture of our home.

plus the fixture just felt a little clunky to me.

i need to put an ad on craigslist to find it a new home which shouldn't be a problem based on all the compliments it has received.

the new west elm drum shade went up in it's place. what do you think?

i kind of love it.

winter progress

2013-02-23T11:00:00.001-08:00

i've been making some good progress lately in our open living and dining area. the existing sage green walls were pretty neutral and inoffensive, but just not quite my style. they set more of a traditional tone than what i was after.

i found myself coming back to benjamin moore white dove, the same color we used at our old house, tried and true. i love how white/ivory walls can instantly make a room feel more fresh and modern.

about that light fixture, i have received a surprising amount of compliments on it in which my response is, "would you like it? it's all yours." it's an arts and crafts style fixture. perfect for a 1920s bungalow. not so perfect for a 1960s ranch.

plus, it's rather clunky, don't you think?

our new west elm fixture arrived weeks ago and i cannot wait to get it installed. i think it will pull the room together nicely.

the real highlight of this room are the floor to ceiling windows. the existing faux wood blinds didn't do them any justice. in fact, i felt like they covered the windows, even while tilted open. the windows are supposed to be the feature, not the blinds.

i had to sell rob on the curtains and convince him just to try them out. we could always return them if we weren't in agreement. so up they went and i anxiously awaited his reaction.

he loves them and i do too. finally, we can show those beautiful windows off!

2013 Resolutions

2013-01-03T18:15:00.000-08:00

A fresh new year and a time to reflect. I've always kind of enjoyed setting goals at the beginning of a new year. Maybe that's because I'm a list maker and set goals daily. But resolutions are an opportunity to dig deeper and better ourselves. I think perhaps we all could benefit from slowing down and keeping ourselves in check once a year, if not more. Here are my top resolutions for 2013:

#1. Live in the Moment (and put down the phone).

I'd like to learn to enjoy my time away from work without constantly checking my email, voicemail, facebook, instagram, and pinterest. My husband is good at keeping me in check with and did exactly that when we were at a NYE dinner and I ruined the moment by pulling out my phone and was immediately sucked in. It's not healthy and it need not consume my time as much as it does.

via design sponge

#2. Listen to my Body.

This simply means, learn moderation. Not too much food, not too much wine, and listen to my body carefully. It never lies when it's had enough, and I feel the absolute best when I listen and respect the limits.

#3. More Yoga.

I have found a deep love for yoga. Although it is expensive and class times don't always agree with my schedule, I need more of it in my life. The rewards are positively worth it.

via emily is gluten free

(i did my first forearm stand last week!)

#4. Buy a Bike.

Since we moved to our new house, we now have access to these amazing trails (which I have been on exactly zero times!). I'm growing tired of the elliptical and have always loved the outdoors. It just makes sense and I need a new cardio workout challenge.

#5. Get Organized.

I would love to master organization in our new home. Live lean and get rid of what isn't used (donation pick-up is scheduled for later this month so I need to get busy!). More importantly, find a space for those handbags, jewelry, and scarves that aren't quite accessible in Rubbermaid's on the closet floor. I'll blog about my progress but please share any solutions that work for you!

There are a lot of great blog entries right now on resolutions. Check them out here, here, and here should you need some inspiration.

Wishing you the best in 2013!

economical vs. expensive furniture

2012-12-12T17:58:00.000-08:00

i have been on the market for 2 side chairs and have been debating on whether or not to invest in quality furniture or go with economical options. my wish list continues to grow as our budget stays the same.

making our dollars stretch right now is important. however, i do believe you get what you pay for in terms of furniture. i've learned many important lessons on doing things right the first time instead of having to replace something that doesn't hold up.

that said, the room that i'm working on is our more formal living room - one that's not frequently used. i decided to go the more economical route this time, but advise on really assessing how much use and abuse the furniture will get. spending the extra money is often times worth it.

let's cut to the chase. we all love a good deal, am i right?

i stumbled upon this chair recently at JCPenny Homestore while looking for window hardware. i almost walked right by it because the fabric is waaaaaaaay too busy but the fabric swatches adjacently displayed made me realize it was customizable and peeked my interest to take a second look. the lines of the chair were actually well designed and versatile!

there was a charcoal gray faux mohair option that caught my eye. i pondered long on hard if i could really pull this off on a budget and have it look like a quality piece.

in 4-6 weeks i'll be able to report whether or not my risk was worth it. in the meantime, i spied this crate and barrel chair for $999 and couldn't believe how closely it matched the chair we'll soon be receiving. can you see the resemblance?

the important thing to note when furniture shopping is the overall design. paint and fabric can easily be changed and this is a true testament of that.

JCP Tori Chair $360 (after the friends & family 20% off coupon i snagged from the register)
Crate & Barrel Clara Chair $999

take that X's 2 which equals a $1278 savings!

soon i'll be featuring our new desk, which on the contrary, was more of an investment piece. it supports the local community, a family business, and will be used on an every day basis for years to come.

the DIY Tufted headboard i don't recommend doing

2012-12-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

(unless you're a diy queen, like jenny.)

many months ago, i attempted my own tufted headboard and gave up with frustration. i followed jenny's instructions from little green notebook. she has the best projects, doesn't she?

(image via LGN)

the problem i found was that pesty pegboard, although genius, was too dense for my staple gun to penetrate through.

determined to get our new guest room together, i picked up this project again and hammered every $&@# staple into that pegboard and showed no mercy. and that, my friends, is how you get things done.

by the end, my fingers were on fire and my back was aching. not to mention my patience worn thin.

i think next time i'll either buy the most powerful staple gun known to mankind or go with plywood and pre-drill the holes myself.

(OR just buy a headboard. now that's a thought.)

now to find some new pillows to show this baby off ...

floors!

2012-11-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

the floors are done and we couldn't be happier with our decision. it's amazing how much more spacious the room feels now.

here's another look at before.

and now ... we are doing cartwheels on these beautiful hardwoods!

we've moved in furniture since this image was taken and are still trying to feel out where everything goes and what's missing. i'll keep you posted on the progress.

one (or three!) big wish list items for this room are plantation shutters for those gorgeous windows. yes?

wood vs. carpet

2012-11-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

we are slowly getting settled in the new house. for the first few weeks we absorbed our changed environment and took it all in. for me, a relationship has to be built with any house, to fully understand it, before diving into projects. that first project started today, and let me tell you, it feels good to see our vision come to life to make our space feel more like home.

the previous owner installed carpet in the front living room and dining space and it just didn't fit us.

as we invited friends and family in for the first time, we received many objections to ripping out new carpet. i can be a carpet person, if it's a carpet i like, but this wasn't it. and so we moved forward with our vision of having hardwoods cohesive throughout.

tomorrow they'll be sanding and staining, followed by sealing. we still have a couple days ahead of us before we can finally bring in the furniture that has been sitting in the garage for weeks. (not to worry neighbors, we will eventually get our cars out of the driveway and out of sight.)

we're donating the carpet to habitat for humanity and i'm relieved i have found an organization who can reuse it. i'm tempted to throw in that light fixture to the pile too ... any takers? :)

saying goodbye to Lamar

2012-10-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

Dearest Lamar:

The time is near. It's moving week.

Amidst the chaos, I haven't a chance to really digest what's happening. But tonight as I look around the house and think about all the memories we've had here, my stomach is in knots.

It wasn't quite love at first sight with you and I. We had to work at it. A little paint here and there, some bathroom and kitchen updates, refinished floors... just when the love rang true it was clear that we weren't meant for the long haul and it was time to move on. I'm proud for how far we've come and it's bittersweet letting you go.

Some of my favorite times together are Niko tapdancing on cue at 6am so that he could pretend pee to get his food, and let's not forget the start of our Christmas tree trimming tradition (which won't be the last!). The mister and I had our first holidays with you, the start of our family, and a gathering place for all our family and friends ... memories I will hold near and dear to my heart.

Best of luck with your new loves. They seem fantastic (and seem to have good taste too).
We'll miss you, Lamar. Thanks for being so good to us.

Always,
Lexie

mood board: Harley & Guy

2012-10-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

i've been helping some friends of mine with their home. it's been a while since i've taken on a project other than my own, so i've been trying to get up to speed on the latest ways of presenting design ideas to a client. my day job these days consists of being a commercial wallcovering rep. although i'm constantly exposed to design and the industry, it's been a while since i've taken on a client myself. it has been a welcomed challenge.

harley and guy became friends of mine while living in savannah and have also since moved back to the midwest. we have many things in common: savannah, kansas city, salina (kansas). more importantly, we share a love of design.

when harley approached me asking for my help on their home, it was a no brainer.

first up, is the exterior.

here is what we've selected:

(my first 'mood board'! woot!)

1. light fixture: school house electric
2. front door: simpson craftsman (to be painted yellow)
3. shutters: lowe's
4. mailbox: lowe's
5. paint colors: benjamin moore willow creek (house), white dove (trim), wrought iron (shutters), windy sky (porch ceiling).

i'm excited to see the transformation! more details to come.

dining room: before and after

2012-09-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

it wasn't that long ago that i shared updated photos of our finished dining room, but the photographer's images put mine to shame. plus, we've updated our dining room chairs since then!

here's another look at the before.

and after.

see full details of the dining room here.

living room: before and after

2012-09-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

i haven't blogged much about our living room as it seemed to be an ever evolving work in progress.

lots of furniture has passed through this room along with lots of different furniture arrangements.

before

if we were staying in this house, i'd add some art and a lucite coffee table to make this room complete. but for showing purposes, i think it worked because it's clean and clutter free.

after

a sunflower at the console @ front door

and this is what it normally looks like when a photographer isn't around :).

kitchen: before and after

2012-08-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

i know i've already shared some before and after shots of the kitchen, but i never could quite capture it as well as the photographer did and as we close the chapter on this house, it's fun to look back and see how far we've come.

rewind 4 1/2 years ago, and this is what the kitchen looked like upon purchase.

i can hardly remember it back then.
but i do remember is how tedious it was to paint those cabinets!

we looked for opportunities to expand kitchen storage ...

before

after

installed new white subway tile backsplash, butcherblock countertops, replaced the sink, faucet, dishwasher & cooktop, and added recessed lighting too.

and once the floors were refinished, things finally came together.

you can see our kitchen remodel featured on design sponge here (prior to the floors being refinished).

family room: before and after

2012-08-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

first things first. our house is officially on the market! it wasn't an easy decision and one that we pondered long and hard for several months. we knew we would be moving on at some point and the low interest rates right now were enough motivation for us to take the plunge. i'm excited for the next project!

in the last month we have managed to accomplish all the 'eventually we'll get to it' to-do items that have been lingering over the years, and our house has never looked better. i'm proud of how we have transformed this house, but at the same time it will be bittersweet to let it go.

our realtor brought in a professional photographer to best market our interior and over the next few posts i'll be sharing those images with you.

i thought i'd kick things off with the family room to capture our new drywall, lighting, and furniture.
but first, let's rewind to what the family room looked like upon purchase over 4 years ago.

i primed and painted the dark paneling and bricks to bring a little life into the room ...

it was a temporary solution and one that worked for several years.

but if you look closely at the image above, you'll see that the paneling is wavy in the right corner. the paneling was thin and over time started to buckle in several areas. after the floors were refinished, the wall imperfections stuck out even more. it was time for drywall.

we had the electrical updated and recessed lighting added while the studs were exposed ...

and after all the dust settled, we were finally able to enjoy our new space.

here is another look at the before:

and after ...

if you're in the area and interested, feel free to contact our realtor for details.

i'll be back soon to share other images of the house!

a cleaner look

2012-07-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

the old iron posts are finally being removed today. it wrecked any chance of curb appeal these last few years and i finally had enough! come to find out, it's surprisingly very easy (and affordable) to replace them with simple posts. why didn't i do this sooner?

we thought about ordering the pre-made columns from home depot, until i realized the depth of those would be too tight in spots for a walk through. so we decided on 4x6 pressure treated wood posts instead.

it took them less than 3 hours this morning to remove the iron and replace them with a more simple look. tomorrow they'll be back to add bases and paint. what a difference already!

landscaping is also on the agenda. if only it would cool off a bit ...

mixing old and new

2012-06-14T19:16:00.002-07:00

our new sectional arrived earlier this week for the den and it has taken some getting used to. not that i don't love it (because i do!) but i always have a fear when incorporating multiple new items in one room, that i'm creating a space that looks 'vanilla'.

for me, there needs to be a balance of old and new pieces. nothing quite beats an old, original re-purposed gem that is one of a kind.

that said, there's a time and place for new.

as i was looking for ways to incorporate a little something to give this space a unique factor, rob's brother saved the day again with an original piece of art. it used to hang above the old sofa in our more formal living room, but i'm really loving how it pops against the white walls in the den.

more photos to come!

when will the dust settle?

2012-06-03T20:22:00.001-07:00

just when we had the dust cleaned up from the hardwood floors, we thought we'd challenge our living conditions once more with a little drywall project. oh, yes ...

the previous paneling had been painted to give it some saving grace, but there was an obvious lack of attention to the walls and trim in our den. the paneling was thin and buckled over time. wavy walls are not a great selling point, nor are armstrong ceiling tiles with water spots from the old roof. we decided it was time to tackle this project as it stuck out like a sore thumb against those beautiful refinished hardwoods. might as well while we're at it, right? (enter grumble of reluctance here).

and might as well add some recessed lighting and updated grounded outlets while we have the walls and ceiling exposed ...

does it ever end? i sure hope so ...

more photos to come soon once the new furniture is delivered. when it rains, it poors (in a good way).

anniversary weekend recap

2012-05-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

it's hard to believe a year has already flown by.

i recently read the book simple truths by kent nerburn and the following excerpt really spoke to me:

"laughter is one clue to compatilbility. it tells you how much you will enjoy each other's company over the long term. if your laughter together is good and healthy, and not at the expense of others, then you have a healthy relationship to the world.

laughter is the child of surprise. if you can make each other laugh, you can always surprise each other. if you can always surprise each other, you can always keep the world around you new."

we spent our anniversary weekend in the hamptons visiting our new fabulous friends we met in costa rica a year ago on our honeymoon.

their family house was perfection. we parked ourselves by the pool for the majority of the weekend.

(don't you love how rob's shirt has a heart sun shadow?)

let me tell you, there was lots of laughter going around that weekend. we really luck out sometimes with the amazing people that stumble into our lives. i'm especially grateful for a husband that keeps me laughing constantly.

refinished floors!

2012-05-08T11:23:00.001-07:00

what a month it has been as we took on the project of having the hardwood floors refinished. slowly but surely we moved everything out of the house, down to our closets. and slowly but surely, 4 weeks later, we are still working on getting settled back in.

that said. it was all worth it in the end. the floors are gorgeous! the biggest transformation i have seen yet to this house. we are in awe.

you may remember the original retro linoleum flooring in the kitchen?

here is mr. buddy wiggles showing a close up of where the linoleum and wood used to meet, both in poor condition.

the use of two different floor materials with a threshold in between the kitchen and living room always bothered me. i dreamed of the day that the floors would be cohesive throughout.

the process of refinishing the floors itself took 5 days. we hired this work out and they did a beautiful job. i was pleasantly surprised to find that the refinishing price here is around $2/square foot vs. the $3/square foot it was in savannah.

step 1: sand

step 2: patch in kitchen with new red oak

step 3: stain so that old and new floors look cohesive

step 4: 3 coats of polyurethane

here is a before and after shot of the kitchen:

before

after

biggest lesson learned: try to have the floors refinished if at all possible, upon purchase of property, prior to moving in. it is otherwise a huuuuge inconvenience.

facelift

2012-04-04T14:20:00.001-07:00

do you ever notice when you start working on a room it always snowballs and the scope inevitably grows? our freshly painted guest room walls were looking so clean and airy, but my old dresser was not. it was time to give this baby new life.

remember shabby chic? i think that's what i was going for here. about 8 years ago. time for a fresh look, i'd say.

i love a piece with a removable mirror. i decided it wasn't the look i'm after this time, but always an option again down the road.

this simple brass ring hardware is versatile and classic. it helps make the dresser just a little more polished. so long shabby!

a clean slate

2012-04-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

although the vintage wallpaper in the guest room had some charm to it, close up it had seen better days. it was beginning to look pretty worn and weathered; i would guess it has been in this room for many many years.

we decided it was time for a fresh clean look in this room, which is always a process when it comes to stripping wallpaper.

i envisioned fresh and clean as in white. my favorite white is benjamin moore white dove; it's soft, warm, and versatile.

i know it doesn't look like much now, but once the layers of the room come together, it will all start to make sense. here are some of my favorite white rooms from pinterest.

unfortunately (or maybe i should say fortunately), our floors are scheduled to be refinished in a few weeks so this room will be put on hold as we concentrate on any other last minute painting projects and the process of moving furniture out. stay tuned ...

celebrating 60 years

2012-03-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

when i saw 60 years of memories floating around on pinterest, i knew it was something i wanted to execute for my mom's upcoming 60th birthday.

the idea is to collect memories of the person you're celebrating from their closest family members and friends, and put them into separate envelopes. it's such an amazing gift - i wish i could take credit for the idea myself. but thank you, pinterest (specifically Holly Burns), for inspiring me yet again.

with the help of my siblings, i sent out an email to those closest to our mom and watched in amazement as the memories poured in. it was like christmas every day a new one arrived. they were all so lovely.

we hosted a birthday dinner at our house last weekend and presented my mom with the 60 years of memories and watched her open them, one by one (60 total). it was such a treat to see her relive each memory. she was so animated!

my mother, mind you, was in theater during her younger years, so (if we were lucky) we would occasionally get a reenactment of a memory and (if a song was referenced) some singing too.

this project is going down in the books as my most favorite, ever. our house was full of laughter, food, sangria, and full hearts that night. not to mention, that i caught my mom reading each memory for the second time the next morning, with a smile from ear to ear.

mini pom poms

2012-03-18T10:38:00.001-07:00

i'm sure you've seen by now all the DIY instructions out there on creating pom pom's from tissue paper as party decor.

via martha stewart

but what about creating a smaller version to serve as a 'bow' on a gift? when it comes to gifts, i think any sort of handmade touch is always a nice one.

full instructions on the DIY pom pom here. all you need for a pom pom 'bow' is to scale it down in size. easy peasy! (and cheap too!)

bathroom reno #2

2012-02-29T17:08:00.003-08:00

we decided to tackle the second bathroom in our house, while we were on a roll and had the contractors in place. (talk about chaos! we had also discovered hail damage on our roof so the house was a construction zone for several weeks.)

here is a photo of our 2nd bathroom at the beginning of the renovation. the floor was a lovely (sarcasm) yellow vinyl that was looking pretty sad.

i saw potentional in that vanity, actually. it kind of had an art nouveau look to it; i had envisioned it to be salvaged with some glossy white paint and a carrara marble top.

however, my other half didn't have the same vision. (do you see a pattern here? ;)

in his defense, i don't know that any buyer would appreciate the vanity in a better state either and it had started to rot, so off it went.

i decided on a special order vanity at lowe's. selections are very limited at a 24" width, especially if you are looking for drawers. the search was challenging but, at last, i found one.

it's nearly impossible for me to capture this space on camera as it is so compact, but i'll share with you some additional photos so you can form the image as a whole in your head.

the light fixture is clearly off center of the mirror (and vanity) and still needs to be adjusted. the more details you can provide for your contractor the better.

oddly enough, the most difficult decision for me in this bathroom was the mirror. i bought 3 and tried them all out. since we decided to keep the existing square white tiles on the walls, i felt the modern mirrors made the tiles look oddly out of place and outdated. hence, the more traditional one we ended up with.

we were so pleased with how the pink tub was refnished, we decided to give this one a fresh look on life as well.