The Master Bedroom Enlightenment

So, after meeting with our realtor, we came to the conclusion that it was not in our best interest to try and sell our home at this point in time.  We had mixed feelings about selling anyway, and we do love this house, so we'll be staying put for a while longer. :)  Our realtor did recommend that we repaint our master bedroom before we list our home, and even though that won't be anytime soon, we're going to go ahead and do it now so we can enjoy it until we move.  And, we're both kind of tired of our super dark bedroom and are ready for something lighter and brighter. :)  Here's our bedroom from the dark ages.  The paint color is Mink by Benjamin Moore.

And here's the inspiration picture for our fresh master bedroom makeover!  This gorgeous bedroom is from Studio Ten 25, and the paint color is Rainwashed by Sherwin Williams.

I bought a paint sample tonight, Sauna by Valspar.  I'll post pictures as soon as I've put it on the wall! :)  I'm crazy excited and can't wait to get started! 

Also, I mentioned our realtor, Dayla Brooks.  She's pretty much amazing!  If you or anyone you know needs a realtor, be sure to look her up! :)  http://www.hrmls.com/dayla 

Cole's Nursery Sneak Peek

So, I know it's been a while since I last posted, but I've been a little busy! ;)  I'm absolutely loving being a mommy to our little boys!  They are both just too sweet for words!  Blake turned two today, and his little personality is out in full force now!  He is such a fun, happy little guy!  Cole is six weeks old now, and is a very calm, easy-going baby who loves to sleep and eat!  These two little men bring so much joy to our lives!  I could literally write a book about how much I love my boys, but I'll stop here for now. ;)  Anyway,  I have a few pictures of the nursery from our recent photo session that I thought I'd share with you.  Brandi from Immeasurable Moments Photography (be sure to check her out) always does such an amazing job!  Needless to say, her pictures of the nursery are way better than mine, so those are the ones I'm sharing. :) 

One of the most exciting things about this project is that I spent less than $200 total on his nursery!  $167 to be exact! :)  My frugal (nice word for cheap) husband was very pleased with that fact. ;)

I'll be doing a post soon with all of the pictures and details! :)  But for now, I'm off to bed!  I need to get my rest because I'm exercising tomorrow.  After all, shopping is cardio, right? ;)

Beauty on a Budget

It's not always easy to decorate on a small budget, but it is possible!  Our budget for the entire guest bedroom/nursery makeover was $500, including furniture.  To accomplish this, I used six different tactics. 

1.  Start out by browsing designer rooms to get inspiration and ideas.  Familiarizing yourself with high-end looks will enable you to spot budget look-a-likes.

2.  Reuse as many items as possible from the previous room and the rest of the house. 

3.  Frequently scour thrift stores and consignment shops.

4.  Shop yard sales, Craigslist, Ebay, etc.

5.  Check out home decor discount stores such as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, etc.

6.  Don't be afraid to use spray paint! ;)

Here's a breakdown of the budget for the guest bedroom side.  We already had the headboard, which was a DIY project from a few years ago, I just recovered it.  The chandelier and navy blanket were also items we already had.  The side tables were handed down from my mom and painted pink. :)

Mirror - Martha Stewart Home for Home Depot

Curtains - Target, 95" for $12.99 a panel

Fabric for headboard - Waverly curtain panel from Lowe's

Pink pillows - Ross

Trellis pillows - Target

Coverlet - T.J. Maxx

Lampshade - Lowe's

Lamp base - Goodwill (spray painted white)

And here's a before and after picture that shows the complete transformation:

All for under $200!  With a little creative thinking, a little DIY craftiness, and a lot of budget brainstorming, it is possible to design on a dime!  Or in our case, a penny! ;)

Before and After: Guest Bedroom Update

So, we are finally nearing completion on the guest bedroom!  There's only one small DIY project that I'm still considering! :)  And we're under budget, too!  Here are some before and after pictures of the various transitions the guest room has gone through.  The first picture is from the builder, so it's not our exact room.  The only difference is that we have a double window.  The after picture is how it looked after we first moved in and decorated.  The third picture is how the room stayed for about two years, and the last picture is how it looks now! :)

And stay tuned for the nursery reveal that will be coming soon! :)

Bag Lady

I've seen some great organization tips on Pinterest that really get my OCD blood pumping!  There are so many inexpensive ways to organize every aspect of your house, and that is just so exciting to me! :)  Oh, the things that bring joy to a neat freak! ;)  I just recently saw a tip for using a shower curtain rod and rings for purse storage, and this is something I did almost three years ago when we moved into our new home and I found myself with an empty closet.  Here's the picture from Pinterest:

and here's my version :)

My next project is to find a good system for my jewelry.  I have a jewelry armoire that I use for my rings, earrings, bracelets, and more delicate necklaces.  My problem is the multitude of fashion jewelry that has now taken over four shelves in our linen closet. :)  It is organized by color, but it's just taking up too much space right now!  Have any of you found a good system for storing big, chunky jewelry? :)

Sneak Peek

Ok, let me preface this post by saying that we are definitely not done yet!  We still have work to do, but we have made some progress, thank goodness!  We're down to two weeks until my due date, so we don't have much time left! :)  Here's a glimpse of the guest bedroom:

and here's the bookshelf on Cole's side:

Well, that's all for now, folks! ;)  Hopefully there will be more to come soon! :)

Deal of the Day

So, Josh had to go to Home Depot tonight to get something for one of the toilets.  He says, "Why don't we all go? Come on!"  I'm thinking, "Ummm, no thanks, that's ok." ;)  Long story short, we all end up going.  While Josh is browsing the potty aisle, Blake and I head to the tiny decor section.  And, lo and behold, I found a gorgeous gold starbust mirror that would be perfect for the guest bedroom/nursery.  It's from the Martha Stewart Living line for Home Depot, and was only $35!  Score! ;)  Can you guess which mirror is the bargain mirror? :)

1.

2.

3.

1.  Global Views Sunburst Mirror, $372.50

2.  Martha Stewart Living Sunburst Mirror, $35

3.  Modern Hollywood Regency Sunburst Ray Mirror by Kathy Kuo Home, $299

Home Depot...who knew? ;)  Maybe we'll hit Lowes tomorrow! :)