decorating makeover tips

i think you might be convinced that doing your own makeovers is hard. 
and expensive. and that perhaps it's just tooooooo much for you to try. 

i really want to dispel those doubts, and show you how to get started -

because it's all about USING WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE!

and you've made my room makeover posts some of the most popular here on homewardFOUND -
so let's revisit them and get some fresh inspiration!

continue reading for my 'how to' tips for your OWN free makeover...

Into the Pale : A Neutral Palette

I've heard a lot of people saying the same thing lately...
"Once the tree and the holiday decor comes down, it looks so EMPTY!"
Well, maybe I'm weird, but I kinda' LIKE the cleared-out spaces!
To me, this is the perfect time of year to do a nice, thorough cleaning
and a refresh of our rooms so that we start the new year with a 'clean palette'.

I took that idea to the nth degree this year
and pulled all of the orange accent color OUT of the house.
I packed it up and put it away, leaving only the neutral background - 
and the result is a soft, cozy, warm, 'cashmere' feeling in the house!
It's perfect for winter, and a nice visual rest from all of the holiday excess.

and the best part? it wasn't even hard to do...

click 'continue reading' for the before and after!

project homeward: coffee table makeover

In the course of our move to the new house, we had to decide what to keep.
The coffee table was a keeper, simply because we needed one and didn't know what we might want later.
Later, we discovered that while the glass top was totally out of character for the room,
the nicely-shaped wrought iron base was pretty cool, even if the charcoal color wasn't.

So what can you do with a pretty cool metal table base that's the wrong color?

First, you paint it!
I chose an aged rust faux finish because it coordinates with another decorative element
that I can't share yet (because it's not in the house yet).
I use a particular process and products to achieve this effect,
but I'm not sharing that.
Read my comments at the end of this post in regard to that....

Moving on....

...after the base was painted, I brought in a cable spool top that we had purchased.
(tearing these cable spool suckers apart is a hefty job,
and I was happy to pay someone else who had already done the hard part)

I cleaned it and thought about sanding it down (for all of ten seconds) then had a better idea:
paint it! 
It's easier, yes, but also - look at that photo on the right above:
Everything is BROWN. Floor. Table. Sofa. SOOOOO much dark brown.
On the other side of this big open room is the kitchen with white cabinets....
so I needed to pull some white over here into the living room to balance it.

Some flat white paint dry-brushed onto the wood took care of that in short order -
applied heavier in some areas (so it would cover up the stamped words) and lighter in others.
I didn't sand this, I just applied the paint with varied pressure.

In the end, it's got a kind of vintage beachy farmhouse worn look that I love.
Actually, years ago, I found a table top that looked very similar washed up on the beach...
I hauled it home to my island farmhouse, and put it on a pedestal as a table.
I loved it. And I love this.
(My dining room table is gonna' get this same treatment soon!)

The paint dried quickly because it was such a thin, dry application...
so I was able to put the succulent planter in the center.

Then I looked at the holes where the bolts had held the cable spools together,
and thought 'votive cups would fit in there'....
and when I located an old candleholder that we had,
it held exactly SIX votive cups with rounded bottoms
that fit into the SIX bolt holes so perfectly
that it was like they were designed for each other!

I love it when a plan comes together!

shared online:
Cupackes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

So.... let me say this about my aged rust faux finish 
*just so it's clearer here than on my fb page 
and will not spark a controversy with anyone*:

Over the course of fifteen years or so,
as I was refurbishing furniture and accessories to sell at vintage shows and painting murals,
I learned a lot about paint and techniques. I invested a lot of time practicing the art of faux painting.
I developed some of my own processes & mixtures that are my own 'secret' formulas, so to speak.
Big companies like Disney, Coca Cola and Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery refer to this as 'proprietary information'  - and it is basically highly sensitive and guarded stuff.

That's my faux rust technique/process/procedure/products, folks.
Proprietary, Secret, and highly guarded information. Mine.

Sorry, but I'm not sharing it.
Someday, I may develop it into a class, or a book, or even a product line.
Gee, I'd love to make money from one of my ideas!!! ;)
Anyway, that's the reason I refer to it as my 'secret formula/secret weapon' etc. -
 because it's a secret, and I'm not telling.
Not to be rude to anyone out there, but just to protect my own interest.
( I have shared my faux concrete painting technique -
including my 'secret ingredient' for realistic effect -
and y'all loved it. It's a really popular post! And I am glad you like it! )

But this is different, and I just want to be clear about not divulging the specifics of it.
Being up front here, and asking you not to ask me to -
AND requesting that if you think I'm greedy or mean for not sharing it,
just.keep.it.to.yourself.please
Not interested in hearing any rants about how I owe it to the public to divulge all of my secrets.

spirit of aloha

yes, you CAN live in a tropical paradise - right where you are!
i've always said that if you truly love a place,
you shouldn't have to wait to visit it just once a year.
simply use the palette and elements from that place to decorate your home - 
so you can enjoy it every day!

oh, how my parents loved their annual vacation on the island of Kauai, Hawai'i.

they loved being surrounded by amazing examples of tropical beauty, 
tiki decor and Polynesian architecture - by the sights, sounds, and smells of the islands. 

from the elegance of five-star resorts to historic buildings to primitive jungles,

Hawai'ian culture embodies adventure, nature, the sea, the sky, and the sand 
like no where else on earth.
(and it was the ONLY place on earth my Mom could get my Dad to stop working!)

each year after their visit, they would return home relaxed, 
extolling the beautiful spirit of Aloha that surrounded them there.

so a few years ago, i did a makeover to bring that spirit into their home...

while they were visiting the islands, i re-decorated their home 

with all of the (many) Hawai'ian elements that they collected on their annual trips.
Mom had tucked things away in cabinets, pulling them out to use for her famous parties...

i decided to just turn their home into something that resembled one of

the resort properties on Kauai instead,

so that they would be surrounded with reminders of the place they loved every day.
 and they LOVED it!

i did this makeover during their trip in June, 2013. they went again in June of 2014 - 
completely unaware that it would be their last trip there together.
my Dad was diagnosed with cancer on their return that year,
and he was gone eight short months later.
i am so glad i brought the islands to their home when i did, 
because Dad's last days and hours were spent in a room filled with 
the beautiful music of the islands and soft breezes blowing in from the patio.
we were able to give him the feeling of being in Hawai'i...
and now he's in an even more beautiful place.

see my tropical thrifty weekend makeover of their home
in this four-part series:

Tropical Weekend Makeover Part I
 Tropical Weekend Makeover Part II

Tropical Weekend Makeover Part III
Tropical Weekend Makeover Part IV

...and make sure you check out ALL of the 'tiki style' posts here on the blog
for many more tropical decor ideas!

Plan B. No, Really.....

...welcome back to the continuing story (saga?!) of 'project HOMEWARD' !

You've seen this image of the plot plan, site plan, and floor plan of our new house in a past post:

I have an image file that's been filling up with photos of the build in progress,

from bare dirt to complete house and everything in between
(I'll create a slideshow and share it when it's all done!)
but with our walk through and delivery date just TWO WEEKS AWAY,

I thought I'd share a bit of the detail about our new house...

 This is our floor plan...
'Plan B', according to the builder's schematic: Lot 101. Plan 1-B.

(some of the options are noted there; more about them in the future...
and let me tell ya', selecting all of those options is daunting - but FUN!)

The house is wonderful and spacious,

 and there's one particular thing we love most: NO STAIRS!
There are days when we literally drag our poor selves up three levels to the bedrooms in the current house, groaning and wincing in pain, and we don't like that reminder that we are old. Not one bit.

So this one-level house is a dream! 

The layout of the house is more than perfect for the two of us and our lifestyle...
it's the SECOND reason we both fell in love with it.
(along with the 'no stairs' thing!)

There are two bedrooms located at the front of the house, 

and two more bedrooms (including the Master) located at the back.
This gives us both privacy and space for our own activities, offices, etc.
in addition to the main living spaces that we'll share.
The rooms at the front of the house will be my bedroom and 'sitting room/office'
where I run my business (and BLOG!), 

while Mom gets the luxurious master suite at the back.
The room is so huge that she plans to put her desk/office in there, as well.

The 'guest room' is also going to serve as our craft room...
We'll set up the sewing machine there, have the closet for storage, 

and I am going to build at least one work table on wheels
that can fit over the bed, but easily move out of the way for guests.
That way, it's not a room that is used only once a month... it's used a LOT!

We thought about making the laundry room 'multi purpose' and putting the craft table there,
but there's already gonna' be enough going on in that room on a daily basis.
The guest room is a more workable plan.
(We also have a workbench for the garage for heavy-duty projects.)

For us, this use of the space just makes sense.
We're re-thinking not just how our existing  furnishings and decor  will be re-used,
but also how the house's square footage can best be utilized for our every day life.

Even if you've lived in your house for YEARS, you can do this...
look at the space with a fresh eye and stop letting past use determine future use.

Is your big dining room a catch-all for junk, but never used as an eating space - 
while your tiny den is the gathering place during meals to watch TV?
Switch 'Em! 
Move the comfy sofas and the TV into the bigger room,
add a huge coffee table at a higher height, and eat in comfort while you watch the game.
Put the dining room table and chairs in the tiny den for homework or games.
Why NOT? There are no 'room police' who will report you.
There are no 'home decor rules' which CAN'T be broken
(even though hundreds of internet articles SAY there are)...
it's YOUR house. Use the space the way YOU want to!
Make your OWN Plan B!

Our other Fave Features in the new house?
*The laundry room is IN THE HOUSE, not the garage!
After 36 years of schlepping laundry to and from the garage, my Mom is THRILLED about this! 
*Speaking of garages.... it's a 3 car garage! BOTH of our cars will fit inside
(which is something that hasn't happened at either of our homes.... EVER....)

plus a one-car garage space that will house shelving for storage of all the party stuff. 
*There is a covered loggia / patio off the dining room,

which expands our entertaining space. Did I mention we LOVE throwing parties?!
*The main living spaces are big, wide, and open with lots of sunlight.
No more tiny kitchen shut off from the party!
*The kitchen has more than THREE TIMES the counter space and storage

as the one my Mom has had for the past 36 years (which was built in 1972).
She's excited about her 'Party-Planning Headquarters'!
*Off the kitchen, there's a hallway. In the hallway, there's a spot for a WINE BAR!
(We will be located in wine country, after all...
and having lots of parties. Did I mention that?)

There's a lot more to love, and you'll be hearing about that in my upcoming posts.
Next Post? Our choices for the surfaces!
(They are installing the flooring right now, as I type this, and we hope to see it TOMORROW!)

Out with the Old....

Everyone knows the golden rule of selling a house...

no, it's not 'location, location, location'.
It's 'neutralize, neutralize, neutralize'!

A construction crew came last week to remove the trellis wall treatments

and to paint over the mural in the downstairs powder room.

Years ago (90? 91?) I painted a mural of a vineyard scene in it,

and Mom had Dad install white trellising to the other walls and ceiling

then hung silk grapevines and grape clusters from it.
Her family room and patio had a 'wine country' theme, and this room played off of that.

In 2013, I redecorated the house to reflect my parent's love of Hawaii
(while they were vacationing in Hawaii!)

and painted a new beach scene on the powder room wall.

(you can see that project in my Thrifty Weekend Makeover series!)

When the contractor finished, it was beige. Just...... beige.

 But it's a small room and it needs to 'look bigger' (???) to prospective buyers

....so this is what we do. We 'neutralize'.
We remove every vestige of our personalities from the house 

so that prospective buyers can 'picture themselves living here' -
as opposed to them seeing exactly how WE have lived here.
This is what real estate agents tell clients now: Erase yourself from the property.

Meanwhile the encroaching stacks of empty folded boxes are dwindling
and the stacks of packed boxes is growing in every single room.
Surfaces are empty, spaces are starting to echo,
and it really looks like we are moving at last.
.
It's gonna' get harder.
Not just the physical work of lifting and hauling,

or the emotional work of sorting and purging,

but the emotional impact of finding hidden memories

in rooms once so filled with life.

As excited as Mom and I are about this move, the new house, 

the new opportunities and a bright shiny next chapter that this move brings,

there's a lot of history here in these rooms.
History that is happy and joyful, and history that is sad and heartbreaking.
Our family's happiness and sorrow soaks the atmosphere,

and as the rooms empty out, 

those memories echo in our hearts.

I can't look at the staircase without seeing generations of our family -
my parents, my siblings, our children, my children's children -
posed on it, year after year, for photos...

And that's just one memory.

HOME means so many things...
fortunately we carry home with us in our memories no matter where we go.

#MAYkeovers Round-Up

As of May, 2014, there's this #MAYkeovers hashtag 'thing' going on all over social media, 

and I thought I'd just jump into the pool with everyone else! I hope you enjoy these...

Here are the links to ALL of my  
Low/No-Cost Makeover / #MAYkeover Projects:

FREE Weekend Makeover 

part 1 . part 2 . part 3 . part 4

Thrifty Weekend Makeover

part 1 . part 2 . part 3 . part 4

Weekend Garden House Makeover

 here

shared online:


Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed

DIY Kitchen Cabinet - to - Shelf Makeover

This time of year, it seems everyone talks about 'Spring Cleaning'.
Well, we all KNOW that 'cleaning' leads to 'makeover' projects, right??

That happened in the kitchen of my former dream house...

 

Stuck in the early 90's, it was really ready for a makeover.

The oak cabinets were ugly and basically non-functional: 

narrow, hard to get access to the back of the corner cabs, 

and the doors were hung to open backward!
Not to mention they were made of orange-stained oak, 

and there was a weird paint job on the kitchen walls. 

One day, I started emptying them to clean and re-organize...

and I was frustrated beyond belief with how little they held.
[ Let's just say I was a bit VERBAL in my frustration, shall we?]

The husband heard my grumbling, walked in, surveyed the mess, and asked

"Ya' want me to just yank those things down and build you some shelves?"

 

In record time, those suckers were off the walls and out the door!
[ NOTE: I do not demolish things. 

No swinging hammers and flying wood like on HGTV and TLC shows.

Those scenes REALLY make me mad, to tell the truth. ]

We removed the cabinets from the wall, hauled them out to the workshop,

then removed the doors from them. 

Those doors became the new shelves for the kitchen, 

and the sides of one corner cabinet were ripped into strips

 to create the brackets to hold the shelves on the wall.
The rest of the cabs were hung on a wall in the shop for storage.

Painted white, the new shelves were ready to go up within a day - 

AFTER the walls were painted.

A fresh tan paint color on the entire kitchen (walls AND ceiling) 

 unified the spaces that had been split by the overhead beam and 'bay' area on the window side. 

Unseen in the photos, a new track light was installed on the backside of the beam. 

White paint on the window trim made it seem much larger and more open than the previous wood tone. 

[BTW, the rest of the plan was to paint the lower cabinets white, unifying the whole kitchen. 

I never got that far before we had to move.]

The new wood shelf brackets were screwed into the studs, 

the shelves screwed onto the brackets, and the project was done.

Then I noticed that the shelves weren't spaced quite the way I had wanted...

but I didn't say a word. 

This was a vast - and FAST - improvement, so I was just grateful to have it done!

 I filled up those shelves and the counter space below them with functional and beautiful elements - 

and those shelves held over TWICE the amount of kitchenware than the cabinets ever had!!

Best part? This project cost us nothing but time:

We had the paint (our whole house was painted that color), 

we had the screws and sand paper and tools, 

and we used the old cabinet wood for the new shelves. 

It turned out so well, we ended up doing exactly the same thing in the laundry room, too.

But of course, I don't have photos of that. :(

 Don't be deterred from making your rooms function and look better

just because you think it will cost money.... it might not cost a cent!

My next post will have a fun re-purposing idea for your bedroom decor

More Spring decor inspiration on Pinterest!

shared online:

Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

Thrifty Weekend Makeover: Part IV

Welcome to Part IV

of my Thrifty Weekend Makeover, 

where we're Re-Styling Rooms using items found in the house

and adding some thrifted elements!

 You've seen the backyard patio, the family room, and the wine bar and guest bath...
In this final of four installments, you'll see the

 Living & Dining Room Reveal!

Let's start at the front door...

The grapevine wreath that was hung on the family room fireplace is now on the front door.

I left the greenery on it, and embellished it with some easy accents:
two small bunches of faux orchid flowers, a little pair of zorie sandals, 

and a small beach sign [all from Dollar Tree] 

introduce the turquoise/brown/green color scheme and the tropical theme.

Talk about 'Fast, Cheap, & Easy'TM - this cost four dollars and took all of five minutes!

continue reading to continue your tour...

beachy summer color palette

In my mind, all seasonal inspiration begins with nature.
The combinations of color that appear in every natural setting on Earth are flawless...

consisting of perfectly coordinated shades and hues, contrasts and compliments.

So when people ask me 'How do you know what colors go together?'

or 'How do you pick a color scheme?',
I tell them to go outside.
Literally! Because it's outside, in nature, every season, that you'll find the 'perfect' color...

Case in Point: the photo shown above.

I snapped that image at Newport Beach, California in April.
It contains a perfect summer color scheme:

The palette of varied blues, grays, tans, browns, and whites

is crisp, fresh, and perfectly balanced between cool and warm tones, lights and darks.

This palette can be translated as a sleek modern look or a cozy country style.

Here's one way to create rooms around that palette:

Can you see it?
The palette of varied blues, grays, tans, browns, and whites?
It's there in all of the details, materials, and surfaces.

We've changed the proportion of color use from the beach photos -
instead of blue being the primary color, neutral tans secondary, and white accents,
We have white as the overwhelming primary color here, with neutral tans secondary,
then touches of blue as an accent. 

In my small Cottage, the color scheme remains the same in each room - 

white backdrops, neutral surfaces, and blue accents.
That helps the small spaces flow into one another and feel larger.
In a home with larger rooms and more space, blue could be used on some walls and furnishings.

Even the simplest accent - like an old door turned into a bulletin board - plays on that palette.
The decor is simple, fresh, and brings the feeling of summer days at the beach indoors.

A photo of a place you love to spend time is a PERFECT starting point for your decor!
If you love to go there on vacation, why not decorate your home to reflect that place, 

and enjoy it every day?!

[I've actually just completed a decor project with EXACTLY that premise, 

and will be sharing it in upcoming posts.]

So what says 'Summer' to you?
 The beach? The mountains? The lake? Mexico? Hawaii?
Find your inspiration and color schemes in the locales you love,
and bring that summer feeling HOME!