{Airing My Dirty Laundry}

Our laundry room was added on several years after our home was built.  I would have designed it completely differently if I had my choice.   We plan on expanding our kitchen and dining room one day.  When we do it'll be out the back of the house which means the laundry room will be demolished and built to my standards.  Until then I have to work with what I have.  I've seen other people's laundry rooms and I'm blessed to have the space we have. 

Our laundry room also houses our three big dogs and their three big houses.  They take up the majority of the floor space.  I thought about taking a picture to show you the space but I'm afraid someone might turn me in to Hoarders.  It's probably not that bad but it's become the catch all room.   It's a room that when I walk into it I try to hurry and get out.  I don't know how we've I've accumulated so much stuff but it's time it goes.  I'm getting stuff together for a yard sale.  If it hasn't been used or worn in 6 months it's free game.  I think this thought process will free up tons of space in our home. 

So back to the laundry room.  I want to make this space pretty.   Three years ago we ripped out two large windows to have french doors put in.  We had always planned on adding a deck and never did.  We'll we are this winter.  And that means that people will have to walk through this room to get outside to our deck.  It secretly makes me smile to know this room will be pretty.  I painted the room a gorgeous blue called Madras Blue by Behr.  I never really knew what direction I was going with the room when I picked the color and then I started seeing these blue and red rooms and fell in love! 

I found this fabric

 and this trim

 as inspiration for this room.  I ordered samples of both from LS Fabrics and these pictures do them no justice.  They are both more gorgeous in person. 

I'd love to do the floors like this

{image courtesy of Frugal Farmhouse Design}

Lori used 1/4" plywood to make these gorgeous expensive looking floors!  We have some other plans for this room including this love seat we purchased at our favorite second hand store.



This post was kind of all over the place but that's how my mind works best.  I am hoping to show our pantry remodel this week.  I've ordered a few pieces that should be in either tomorrow or Tuesday so we can finish it up and show it off. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

I'm off to enjoy the cooler weather and rain!

{Day One = What Was I Thinking?}

So the majority of the stuff is out of the pantry. 

 I'm sitting here waiting for the Dap to dry in the million holes so I can sand it which leaves me to wonder "What was I thinking?" when I decided this was a good idea. 

{These are just a few of the many holes}

I know it will be worth the countless hours of labor but holy cow it's going to be a lot of work.  My goal today is to get the walls painted.  I'd love to start on the stencil but I'll be happy with just getting all the holes covered and a coat of paint on the wall. 

I don't know what to do with the floors.  They are the original hardwoods but were once painted gray by the previous owners.  We'd love to finish all the hardwoods in the house but that's a big project and not sure if it'll happen.  We did finish the ones in our office and guest bedroom.  They turned out gorgeous!  So back to the pantry floors.  I was thinking of painting them.  I'm open to any suggestions. 

And I didn't realize how much expired stuff was in our pantry!  I was quite surprised at how much money we've wasted.  That's a positive about having an organized pantry.  No more wasted food!



Well I'm off to sand.......  And then paint.

{Pantry Remodel}

I'm excited about getting started on our pantry remodel.  Tonight we begin taking everything out so I can start painting.  It's not a huge pantry but it's a good size.  It measures 8 ft x 2.5 ft.  It also stores our hot water heater.  That thing is a monster and we are looking into the tankless water heater but that's another story for another post. 

We are painting the pantry Oatmeal by RL.  We had the color mixed in the Behr Premium Plus paint because in our opinion it's the best paint out there.  We are going to stencil on the Quatrefoil stencil we purchased from I don't remember.  I do remember it was pricey but it's a good size stencil.  We'll paint it in black.  Our kitchen is cream, white and black.  I love the simplicity of our kitchen.  It's a small galley style kitchen but plenty of space for two. 

All of our inspiration comes from Shelley at House of Smiths.  Her pantry rocks!  I know it's going to be awesome when we get it done and I know that it's going to be a process too.  We don't have any built in shelves in our pantry so we purchased a black book shelf from Wal-Mart and intend to go back and get another one once we are done painting.  Eventually we'd like to have a walk in pantry but for now we'll work with what we have or don't have. 

I purchased these beauties today on Etsy for our pantry.  I love Etsy. 

I am thinking of buying two of these for the pantry too. 



I love how Shelley has everything so organized.  Our pantry is not organized.  At all.  Our goal is to organize it so when I ask my husband to get something out he won't say "we don't have it" because he doesn't look past the front of the middle shelf. 

Hopefully by the end of the week our pantry will look something like House of Smiths. 

{Farmer's Market}

I came across Susie Harris months ago and fell in love with her blog!  I love her style and her family is to die for!  She paints these incredible signs and I am the proud owner of two. 

I heart them both!  One is in our bathroom and the other in our master bedroom.  Susie has this talent for making a piece of wood look like a masterpiece.  I could spend hundreds of dollars on her signs but my money tree died.  I was looking at her signs and thinking why couldn't I do this?  I gave it a shot last night and I'm actually pretty surprised with the success of my sign.  Susie did this one and I knew I wanted one like it.  This is my version of Susie's and although it still needs some distressing and antiquing it's done.  I'm pretty excited by it. 

Once I'm done and it's hung I'll take a better picture.  I am so thankful that there are so many women who are willing to share their talents and secrets with the people in blogland.   I've learned more about myself through them that I ever thought imaginable.