Monday's Family Room Update!!

 

Recently I had a friend ask me what I have left to do in the our family room.

It is funny when when someone ask you a question like that you hesitate, then you start making your mental list.

I thought I would update you all on the progress and what we have left on our To-Do list.

When I left you last I showed you a teaser picture……

 

 My very handy, talented, sweet, loving husband has made a wish come true for me.

The wainscoting for the room has started taking shape. This is something I have had in my little design brain for over 10 years. 

YES! you heard right 10 years ago I started talking about the someday list for this room and wainscoting was on that list.

I am calling this a, "LABOR OF LOVE," since my live-in handyman really did not want to do this to begin with.

BEFORE

DURING

Now for the big To-Do list:

1. Paint wainscoting the same color as all the trim,

    swiss coffee.

2. Paint brick Swiss coffee (I am doing the happy

   dance about this one) Hubby did not, would not

   give in to painting the brick, but once he saw the

   wainscoting he knew it had to be done!! Woo hoo!!!

3. Finish wainscoting around the entire room

4. Add crown molding

5. Paint small end table a pretty color( color to be 

    announced later,I need to have a few surprises)

6. Purchase antique brass pharmacy floor lamp for

    right hand white chair area.

7. Find artwork for back wall and above small

    desk.(looking for architectural blue prints)

8. Possibly paint desk(color not chosen yet) probably

    a soft off-white.

9. Paint upper family room walls.

10. Possibly paint bar stools a soft cream and have

      seats reupholstered.

11. Accessorize as we go along.

So there you have it! More to do, more to show you later.

 

 

Very Small Bathrooms That Look Grande!

Source: adoreyourplace.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

If we have a small bathroom sometimes we think that we can’t make it look pretty. 

We tend to try and make it look more spacious and the reality is, if you can stand in the middle of the room, spread your arms and touch each side of the room, you know it is small.

I have two favorite rooms to design and decorate, children's rooms and bathrooms.

Source: adoreyourplace.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

My theory about designing a small bathroom is, you can’t make it look larger, but you can make it look Grande. Not Grande in size but Grande in feeling.

I say make it look like a jewel box. Make it so wonderfully appointed that people will not want to leave.

Source: houzz.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

Once they come out your guest bath the first thing they say to you is, “Wow! you really have a beautiful bathroom, or that is the nicest bathroom I have ever been in!”

I am going to show you some beautifully appointed bathrooms, and maybe you will see that a very small bathroom, or powder room can be a beautiful little jewel box! 

Source: traditionalhome.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

This room is exactly what I was referring too as small enough that you can touch each side of the walls. It is a very small powder room, and yet the owner spared no expense on the amenities.

An amazing open legged sink, lovely wainscoting. Oversized scenic wallpaper is the perfect choice for this room.

Check out the sconces, beautiful, and unusual design. A lovely traditional style black framed mirror is the finishing touch.

A lot of beauty in such a small space.

Source: julienightingaledesign.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

The wallpaper in this bathroom really sets the mood for this small space. All the other details are kept sleek and contemporary. Since there is so much white they chose to use a dark tile floor in a brick pattern to ground the room.

Source: designspiration.net via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

This small bathroom fascinates me. Black walls become the backdrop to art covered walls. This room has  a lot of Wow factor.

One of the prettiest bathrooms I have ever been in was literally 4’X4’ and all the walls were painted black with dark cabinetry and brass fixtures, including the sink. The sconces were black with brass bases. I saw this thirty years ago and have never forgotten it.

That one little bathroom taught me to go all out in designing my own personal bathrooms.

Source: houseofturquoise.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

Nothing was spared in this pretty bathroom, wallpaper, beautiful vanity, even a chandelier.

Source: houseofturquoise.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

Beautiful soft blue vanity, simple, yet elegant at the same time, this is my kind of bathroom. Notice the little bun feet to make the vanity more like a piece of furniture. A small touch but add something extra to a stack of drawers.

All bathrooms require the same elements so why not choose your elements a little more carefully and add an elegance to them.

MY SMALL BUT SPA-LIKE BATHROOM

Source: goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

It does not have to be expensive to look well appointed, you just need to put thought into each element that you are choosing to come up with a beautiful and cohesive design.

Source: goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

I have a very small master bathroom. The sink area is in a little alcove only 42” wide.

We saved money by purchasing kitchen cupboards and designing our own vanity. This cabinetry is made by Thomasville for Home Depot.

The vessel sink was also purchased at Home Depot for under $200.

You will notice the whole wall is tiled in an irridescent mosaic tile.

Source: goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

Behind the mirror we did not place any tile. Why waste pretty tile where it will never be seen. The mirror was an inexpensive mirror from Lowes, that looks exactly the same as its twin at Restoration Hardware, back in the silver sage days.

We saved $150 on the tile by not using it behind the mirror.

Source: goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

The shower area is through a sliding door right off the vanity area. It is only a 6ft.X 6ft. room and the shower measures 3ft.X6ft.

Even though it is a small area I treated it as if it were a much larger bath area.

We have a bench, a niche for shampoos, tile wainscoting around the room.

I have heated tile floors too. Are you still with me?

Don’t let the size of a space make you skimp on what you put in that space. Get the best that you can afford.

It might not be the time in your life that you can afford what you want exactly, but by being creative and making a good plan of attack you can still have a beautiful bathroom

I hope you got a little inspired by some of the above images. If you would like to see more you can go HERE.

   

 

 

Laundry Room Ideas!

   

I haven’t written a laundry room post in a very long time. Lately I have been seeing more small laundry rooms pinned on pinterest that have caught my eye.

If you are lucky enough to have a laundry room maybe this post will give you some ideas.

Source: my-house-my-home.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

What a great use of space. You will notice there are sliding doors that go into the side of the appliances. 

When you are done with the laundry everything can be hidden behind doors.

Don’t you love the pull-out hamper baskets? I really think this a great use of space.

Source: simplifiedbee.blogspot.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

Even if you only have a closet sized laundry room you can have all that you need if you plan it well.

The back splash is what caught my eye. I want something like this in my laundry room.

Source: bradleyeheppner.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

This is a much larger laundry room with great storage, love how the washer and dryer are concealed.

Source: goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

This image is a look that I truly love for a laundry room. Clean and sleek! 

Again, I am in love with the stainless back splash. I also love the garage door style frosted glass cabinets. 

Source: repinned.net via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

 All I can say is this is just pretty!

Source: sandandsisal.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

Another great use of space. I use laundry baskets for my dirty clothes, we have them separated by whites, lights, darks, towels.

I only have room for two shelves, but I would like to have all four baskets on a shelf.

Here is my make-do, make-shift shelf made out of a Johnny pole for the bathroom. We just added a wire shelf on the very bottom to hold a basket.

Source: goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com via Kathy Sue Perdue on Pinterest

More white stacked towels, these are my rags. I also love a good stack of white toilet paper. Yes, I am weird like that!!!

Last year we did a mini-makeover and we painted the room a pale blue, and added a new utility light in brushed stainless.

I also wanted to put my laundry detergent, softener etc. in some fun containers so I came up with this…….

All my cleaning supplies are in the blue and white striped baskets. The little white dish on top of the dryer is holding my dryer sheets.

I use a liquid detergent so a big drink container was the perfect solution for me. Almost like a beverage bar in the laundry room…..

My laundry room is very small as you can tell. That doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and functional at the same time.

Next on the agenda is more storage, and if I am lucky maybe a cool stainless backsplash!!

It doesn’t have to be big and full of cupboards to  look good, and be functional.

I hope you found some inspiration here today!

FOR MORE INSPIRATION YOU CAN GO TO MY LAUNDRY ROOM PINBOARD

HERE!