June 25, 2020 By Kelly 16 Comments

Pool House Updates

I’ve been sharing pool house updates over on Instagram, but I realize I’ve been holding out on you all here on the blog. There has been a bit more progress made over at the pool house and I haven’t shared anything since Christmas! So here we go –

First, let’s take a look back where we started –

And a year after we moved in –

And now! I still need to paint the doors white and do a lot of touch-up painting, but I’m so happy with the balcony and the doors out here. It’s so nice to open these doors wide and get a nice breeze, and it’s made it SO much brighter up in the loft too.

Now on the inside, it looked like this the last time I shared the upstairs. Cringe, it was a bit scary up here but it was my kid’s art studio/messy craft space.

And I shared our tentative plans for the bunkhouse/hang out room.

Here’s where we are at now –

We ended up being able to do 6 twin size beds along both sides of this wall. I threw an old 12×14 rug down at the end of the room to give you an idea of the space left. I think we will go with a 6 ft couch and some poufs/floor cushions/ottoman for extra seating. Although I think the beds will also function as additional seating kind of like a daybed.

There was a big debate about whether to run the wall all the way up like our plans or just go with more of a half wall look. I love the way the full wall looks, but I thought it may close the room off too much. Also, we plan on using this for slumber parties and my daughter pointed out that it would be hard to talk or see the tv for a movie night with full walls. I have to say this was actually practical advice coming from the girl who wants a slide off the balcony ;)! I know it’s hard to envision now, but each little half wall will have a wall sconce on the side and a bookcase/nook at the foot of the bed. Here’s a quick sketch so you can maybe see what I mean a bit better.

We still plan on mounting a tv on the wall by the seating area. Along with an air hockey or foosball table (hot debate at our house which one we will go with).

Over here by the stairs, we decided to build out a counter area with bar stools.

This will act as a little pseudo kitchen area with a mini-fridge and microwave tucked in this back corner.

I know a lot of you suggested a sink up here but there wasn’t a great spot to put it and I just don’t see us using it that often. This will mostly be kids hang out spot, but it will function as a guest space when needed too. Here’s another fancy sketch of the bar. There is room for 3 bar stools and then we will do a built-in looking cabinet for the microwave and fridge with a drawer or cabinet for popcorn. The chair is just a place holder for when we were trying to envision the space. We will be going with counter height stools.

Just to refresh your memory here is the bathroom/pool equipment/mudroom situation downstairs.

All the framing is done which is exciting and we are just waiting on the electrician to come back to finish up wiring the upstairs. After that, we plan on adding insulation and a mini-split heating and cooling system. Yes, we have to cover up the cool ceilings, but we are hoping to plank back over them. I’m on the hunt for paneling that we can do in the upstairs space to get the planked vibe without having to drywall and then plank everything. I’ll keep you posted if/when I figure that out.

Oh and we got the new exterior door installed with a window and it’s so nice to have the extra light in here! It still needs a coat of paint and obviously everything needs to be power washed.

Here is the only photo I could find of the old door, but you can see what an improvement this is!

The bathroom is on hold for now because we have to bust out all of the cement to run the new pipes and hook it up to the sewer. Since the pool is over here and we are using that, at least for a few more weeks before it’s drained and resurfaced, (that was supposed to happen this spring, but it got pushed way back due to construction being shut down) we are waiting to tackle this until fall. Just to avoid the mess of cement dust etc so we can still use the pool area in peace for the summer.

So I guess it doesn’t seem like a whole lot has happened, but we have the bones of the place figured out which feels exciting!

Oh and I had to share this photo from last week, we had crazy storms blow through and this was the calm after the storm. :)

June 17, 2020 By Kelly 23 Comments

Lake House Outdoor Space

This post is sponsored by Unique Loom, however, all opinions are my own.

Hey, remember waaay back when I shared my lake house outdoor space plans? I’ve finally brought my design boards to life and managed to catch a dry day to snap a few photos. My plans started with these pretty outdoor rugs from Unique Loom. They are actually from the Jill Zarin Outdoor Collection™, yes that Jill Zarin if you are a Housewives of New York fan. I can just imagine them in her Hamptons house, but they are right at home here too.

Lake House Deck

I was going to split this up into two blog posts. However, I’m too excited to share, so I’ll just show you both spaces that I gave a little upgrade.

Well, maybe Charlie will show you around the first space since he insisted on being in every single shot on our master deck. I don’t blame him, this is my favorite spot in our whole house.

He actually has figured out how to open the screen slider doors and routinely lets himself out here to sunbathe – no joke. What a life he has! ;)

Also, I should point out that I flipped a chair around in a few of these photos to show the lake view. This is one of those cases where I wish I had a mission impossible flying suit/pulley system situation because it’s impossible to photograph this deck well. Rest assured these chairs face the lake in real life to take advantage of the view.

The rug I had here last summer was too small, so I was happy to upgrade to this 7×10 which really fits the space so much better. You know I love blue and white stripes, so this was the perfect rug to lighten up all our dark outdoor furniture.

The new throw pillows go perfect with the subtle blue color. Charlie wants you to see his profile in this photo apparently…appreciate all the angles people!

I went with bigger planters out on our deck, and I love the little added privacy and pop of color out here. The white flowers are Mandevilla, the pink ones are Spider Flower, and the purple, Catmint.

Adding the umbrella up here has been the best thing ever for the 90 degree days we have been having. This is now the perfect little oasis to drink my coffee and answer emails before my kids rise and shine for the day.

Lake House Patio

Let’s head down to the patio now, possibly my 2nd favorite hang out spot!

We were using our old rug down here from the last house, but this patio was so much larger. So again, I upgraded to the larger size. The patio feels so much brighter with the new rug not to mention cooler on our feet.

I went with this diamond pattern here, and it’s such a fun pattern play with our striped pillows.

I’m really happy with the quality of these rugs from the Jill Zarin Outdoor Collection™. They dry super fast so I don’t have to deal with any mildew issues, and they feel great underfoot. I always get care questions on outdoor rugs. The only thing I do is use my little handheld leaf blower to keep it clean, and powerwash before I put it away for the year. Just be sure to let it dry completely, then roll it up and store inside for the winter.

Again white and blue, I know, I know, but it goes so well with our whole house so I don’t think I’ll ever give it up!

I’ve had a few questions about having this fire pit table on a rug but we haven’t had any issues with it at all. It doesn’t have a very powerful flame and doesn’t give off a ton of heat. Just enough to roast our marshmallows.

I’m so impressed with these new throw pillows. I’ve left them out in the rain on accident a few times, and they have dried right up. I love the reversible pattern because a girl needs options. Although now that I say that I realize I completely forgot to actually snap a photo of the other side, ha!

I painted our old brown planters white which I have been wanting to do forever.

I wasn’t sure it was going to work, so I threw a handful of leftover tile grout into the paint to add some texture.

They have held up well so far! I went with more Mandevilla for some height and a mixture of Verbena and White Petunias.

We have been so enjoying our time out here as a family, so much so that I haven’t been on the blog much! I do have a fun pool house update coming soon, so stay tuned for that next week!

SOURCES: Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Striped Rug

Firepit table

Polywood Adirondack chair – these are indestructible and I love them, we have slowly been upgrading our wood ones to these.

Wood Adirondack chair – these are a great budget-friendly option

Striped Pillows

Umbrella

Planters (the ones I ordered sold out but these are similar)

Table- this one is similar to ours but doesn’t have an opening for an umbrella

Blue Pillow

Wicker Chair

Diamond Patterned Rug

June 12, 2020 By Kelly 24 Comments

White Pink and Purple Flower Boxes

Well, I’ve been promising to blog about my window boxes for a few weeks now, but I always like to give them a little chance to take off and fill in first. I’m happy to report they are doing well. So, I’m finally sharing my white, pink, and purple flower boxes with you all! Here they are on the first day I planted them.

And here is how they look three weeks later! You’ll have to excuse their soggy appearance – they got a little beat up in the storms we had last night, but I wanted to show you the same angle so you could see how much they have grown.

Here they are on a sunnier day.

I didn’t really have a plan in mind when I went to the greenhouse this year, and I basically did a supermarket sweep through the greenhouse. I really just grabbed anything that caught my eye and hoped I could sort it all out when I got home.

Thankfully the smorgasbord of flowers I ended up with seem to be playing nicely in my window boxes. I ended up with lots of white flowers with a few pops of pink and purple thrown in.

The hummingbirds have been loving this combo, and it’s been so fun to watch from the breakfast nook.

In years past, I have been afraid to plant something taller because I thought I may want to open the windows. I finally realized, however, I have never actually opened either of these windows (they are in front of the breakfast nook and our master bath), so I should go for it. I added some geraniums and verbena now that I’m not worrying about beheading them all.

I took photos of all the tags I used, but I’ll also list them all out below as well.

Best Flowers for Sun or Part Sun Window Boxes

I’ll go left to right in this photo –

variegated vinca vine

white petunias (just realized I’m missing that tag!)

snowstorm giant snowflake

super bells double orchid

lanai upright verbena

snowstorm giant snowflake

white geranium

angelonia

burgundy star petunias

I think that’s everything in there! My window boxes get full morning sun and late in the afternoon/evening sun, so I try to get flowers that like sun to part sun.

You can click on this link 5 Tips for Gorgeous Window Boxes for all of my tips and tricks. You also check out Window Boxes That Won’t Fall Apart for more info on how our window boxes are built.

Oh, and I couldn’t resist sharing photos of a few friends I encountered while watering my flowers earlier this week…

The butterflies love our salvia. Charlie however did not love this massive turtle. I wish I had caught his reaction on video!

Happy Weekend!

May 20, 2020 By Kelly 23 Comments

Lake House Dining Room Light Fixture

I have been a busy bee planting my flower boxes, garden, and planters this past weekend! I was so excited to share with you all and then it proceeded to rain the last 3 days nonstop. Hopefully, it will dry up soon and I can head outside again with my camera, but let’s switch gears to the inside and a fun little change-up in the dining room!

If you have been following me for a while, you know I love to change things up! Nothing has brought this out more than not leaving our house for the last 2 months. (See this blog post on our new kitchen island paint color for further evidence).

After 3 years of living here, I decided it was time to swap out a few light fixtures. I think at the last house I had changed our dining room light fixture twice at this point?! So, I feel like this has shown real restraint on my part. :) Don’t worry all the old lights are going to a good home!

I’m waiting on the new kitchen pendants I ordered to show up still (I’ll share soon!), but my new lake house dining room light fixture arrived! I loved the old light fixture, but it took up a bit more visual space than I anticipated. It blocked quite a bit of our lake view from the kitchen area.

I wanted something a little more streamlined this time to really let the view shine. Pretend it’s a sunny day out there and the water is all pretty and blue in the background instead of the gray MI spring skies.

And yes I needed to move my camera over a bit to have everything centered argh (ha!), but you can see how pretty and simple it is without interrupting the view.

I loved the classic yet modern style of this light fixture (and the price point – it’s under $200!), but they didn’t have it in black. The other light fixtures on the main floor here are all black so I wanted to stick with that color scheme. Although, I do think it is pretty in all the color options, and if you aren’t as picky as me the oil rubbed bronze would give you the same feel I’m sure.

I actually painted the old light fixture black in here, so I knew it wouldn’t be a big deal to raid my spray paint stash again. If you try this at home, just be sure to tape off the light sockets and wiring and you are good to go. I use matte black paint and a few coats later it was ready to hang up.

I bribed the Mr. with a margarita (side note we have been sharing all sorts of fun cocktail recipes on Instagram on the weekends so be sure to check out my stories if you need a little happy hour help), and he helped me hang it up. Swapping out lights is not hard, but be sure to shut your power off first!

I love the new look and the softer ambiance the shades let off. It will be perfect for our next dinner party – whenever that is able to happen again!

I also like how simple it is looking the long way through to the living room. Your eye travels to the fireplace and the large light fixture in there as well.

I love our new lake house dining room light fixture and cannot wait to see it paired with the new kitchen lights coming soon!

You can see the old light fixture in this post here.

SOURCES: Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. Just click on the BOLD words.

Light Fixture

Table – Art Van Furniture which recently went out of business

Chairs – I have the light gray color they don’t seem to offer anymore but these are similar if you want gray

Slipcovered chairs

Wall Color – Extra White by Sherwin Williams

Wood Floor

Art – Katherine Cordon

Frames

Bar Cart

Vase – no longer available but this one is similar

Flowers – cut off my tree

May 14, 2020 By Kelly 3 Comments

My Fave Hair Products

I recently shared a little hair tutorial on Instagram as it has been the number one requested thing lately on my little Q & A’s. If you missed it, I saved it to my Instagram highlights. I’m there in all my awkward glory, complete with Vanna White gestures and random jazz hands. Anyone else unable to talk unless they use their hands? Anyway, I linked up all my fave hair products and tools at the end, but I thought I would share them over here too. In case you are in the market for some new hair goodies, or maybe you are just experimenting with how long you can go without washing your hair at this point while we are home. She said as she sheepishly raises her hand…

So here are my fave hair products and tools –

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

My Fave Hair Products & Tools

Morrocan Oil Hydrating Styling Cream – I use this as a detangler/moisturizer on my hair when I get out of the shower. I just smooth it through my damp hair. This makes all the difference for my dry ends, especially during the summer.
Morrocan Oil Root Boost – I spray this right on my roots before I blowdry it and it really gives my fine hair some volume.
Kristen Ess Dry Shampoo – I alternate dry shampoos a lot and this one is always in the rotation. It’s nice and lightweight.
Kristen Ess Beach Wave Spray – I spray this on my hair when I’m done curling it and it adds a lot of texture and shine without making my hair sticky. It’s also great to touch up curls that 2nd or 3rd day of hair.
Oribe Swept Up Volume Powder – Ok, I’m not gonna lie this stuff is pricey, but I love it and a little goes a long way! I sprinkle this on my roots on day 2 and 3 to perk up my limp hair. I don’t know how it does what it does, but it adds so much volume. I actually bought the travel size to try it out and it’s lasted me a few months. So while it’s pricey you don’t need much.
Redken HotSets – I have been using this for a million years. I spray this on after before I curl my hair and it helps protect your hair from the heat and also helps hold my curl for longer. I spray it on, brush it throughout, and then curl.
Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast – I’ve only had this a few weeks and I love this stuff. I spray this on my roots and around my crown it adds a lot of texture and volume.
Loreal Elnett Hairspray – I do a light mist of this when I’m all done styling my hair. It has great hold without giving you that untouchable helmet head feeling.
Comb Trio – I have this set of combs and they are great for sectioning off your hair or doing a little backcombing if needed.
Alligator Clip Grips – I don’t typically need to section my hair to curl it but my daughter has really thick hair and these are the absolute best clips out there! They can hold so much hair and won’t slip or tangle when you go to remove them.
Wet Brush – My daughter and I both swear by the Wet Brush any of them are great but I like this paddle one a lot.
La Fortezza Hair Dryer – I received this hairdryer in a PR package (the sometimes perks of being a blogger) and I really like it. I’ve never had a fancy expensive hair dyer before but wow does it save me a lot of time on the days I do actually wash my hair. I normally let my hair air dry most of the way and then dry it the rest. This does a great job of it without getting too hot or making my hair frizzy.
T3 Curling Wand – I recently splurged on a T3 to see what all the hype was about it. I have to say it is a really nice curling iron and my curl hold so well with this. I never feel like my hair is getting fried either.
Hot Tools Extra Long Barrel – I have had this curling iron for a long time and it’s a great less expensive option that still really does a great job and gives an even curl.

I think that’s everything!? Like I said if you want to see me put all these products to use you can check out my little tutorial here on Instagram. Happy Weekend!

May 6, 2020 By Kelly 6 Comments

Lake House Outdoor Decor

We finally had a glorious stretch of weather this past weekend. The kind of weekend that makes you remember why you live in Michigan in the first place! :) Only to be followed by colder temps this week but still, it has me dreaming and scheming of decorating and our lake house outdoor decor! After laying 19 yards of mulch, I’m ready to make a pretty spot to relax and enjoy our handiwork. In the last few years, I’ve focused on getting the pool area ready. Unfortunately, the pool will probably be out of commission for most of the summer, it was scheduled to be repaired and resurfaced but with the shutdown, everything is behind. So I’m going to work on the lakeside spaces a bit more this summer.

One rookie mistake I made last year with our master deck space was getting too small of a rug. So I’m fixing that this year and adding an umbrella for some shade and a few new accessories too! We spend the majority of our time out here from spring to fall so I’m excited to give this space a little cozy upgrade. Actually a few of these items arrived already – I love the pillows! But while I’m waiting for everything to be delivered I thought I would show you my plans.

We have had these chairs for 6 years and they are still in perfect condition. They are on sale right now and I can’t recommend them enough! I linked a similar side table to what we have and I’m adding in the rug, pillows, and umbrella. I also bought some new planters, and now that the greenhouses are open I can’t wait to fill them next week when it warms up!

SOURCES: Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

LAKE HOUSE DECK DECOR

Rug

Chair

Planters (the ones I ordered sold out but these are similar)

I’m also planning a little refresh on our patio down by the lake. I’ve been using the same rug from our old house that is about 6 years old and it’s always been too small for this space. I think I’m going to bring that rug up to our other deck to use under our dining table. I’m excited about finishing this space. Oh, and I finally found our firepit table back online for you all since it’s been requested a ton lately! These planters I have linked are gorgeous but $$. I actually have some old planters that I’m going to try to paint to look like this so stay tuned for that post…or maybe not if it’s an epic fail.

LAKE HOUSE PATIO DECOR

Rug

Firepit table

Polywood Adirondack chair – these are indestructible and I love them, we have slowly been upgrading our wood ones to these.

Wood Adirondack chair – these are a great budget-friendly option

Oh and yes I mentioned that the greenhouses are open here now which means window boxes coming soon!! I’ve been gathering tons of inspiration on Pinterest so we shall see what direction I go this year – can’t wait!

You can check out more of our backyard and landscaping ideas here, and outdoor furniture here.

April 29, 2020 By Kelly 38 Comments

Revere Pewter Kitchen Update

I’m back this week with another Revere Pewter Kitchen update over at my parent’s house. All the cabinets and walls are painted and the new floors are finished! It feels like a fresh clean slate over there. Like really clean. Like completely blank, because nothing is put back except the major furniture items. My mom was supposed to come home this week and we were going to go to town on revamping this space. We had plans to sort through what she had and power shop to mix in some new pieces too. Unfortunately, she will be staying in Florida for the foreseeable future, so all of that is put on hold. I thought I would at least share a few photos of the fresh paint and new floors.

First, let’s take a look back at the before, if you remember my parent’s built this house 18 years ago. The kitchen recently flooded and all of the floors were ruined, which kicked off this whole makeover. The antique glaze on the cabinets was starting to yellow and peel so now seemed like a good time to freshen everything up with a new coat of paint!

BEFORE –

And AFTER –

It feels so fresh and updated!

I cannot wait to restyle these glass cabinets with some pretty finds.

We swapped out the cup pulls and chunkier knobs for these simple black handles and knobs from Battle Creek Hardware.

It’s funny how swapping out the hardware can really change the feel of a space! It went from a country kitchen feel to an updated modern cottage vibe.

We kept these black cabinet units the same for some contrast.

The walls got a fresh coat of paint as well. We went with Natural Choice from Sherwin Williams which is the same color they have in their Florida home. She has some really beautiful colorful paintings to hang back up that will pop against the nice neutral wall color.

The dining nook feels brand new with the freshly painted table and built-in benches. We have plans to pick a new cushion fabric and some pillows to finish off this cozy space.

Imagine a wood tray with a big glass vase of hydrangeas on the newly painted table.

The lighter more neutral-toned floors really made a huge difference in the whole house! I love how they look with their stone fireplace. They are all hand stained by a local company here in Michigan called Urban Plank. I know a lot of you wanted the flooring info, unfortunately, I can’t link them for you, but if you are local be sure to check them out!

Also, I always get questions about my mom’s sectional and it’s from Art Van Furniture and they unfortunately just went out of business. Boy, I’m feeling really helpful with the links today ha, sorry!

So excited to add some fun throw pillows and throws in here.

I cannot wait to get shopping, get styling, finish this space off, and most importantly hug my mom when all of this is over!

I hope you all are hanging in there and staying well!

SOURCE LIST: Disclaimer – This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission on products purchased through these links at no additional cost to you.

Cabinet color – Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore

Wall color – Natural Choice by Sherwin Williams

Hardware – BattleCreek Hardware

Table – Ballard Designs

Chairs – Find them here

Couch – Art Van Furniture

Countertops – Honed Black Granite

April 23, 2020 By Kelly 3 Comments

Wayfair Save Big, Give Back Sale

I’ve had a few of you message me wondering if I had the inside scoop on when Wayfair’s next big sale was going to be, well today is the day! I’m excited to be partnering with Wayfair on this post to share their Save Big, Give Back sale this week!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

You all know Wayfair is one of my fave online shopping spots and this is one of their best sales yet. Not only are they offering great sale prices, but they are also taking this opportunity to give back. 10% of all proceeds from this sale will be going to Feeding America which is such a great organization.

Feeding America helps provide meals to people in need and has been crucial during this time to keep our food banks stocked. I know you all may not be in a place to be shopping at the moment, but for those of you that are, I’m linking all of the products in our home from Wayfair. I’m also rounding up a few items that are in my online cart currently in addition to some great outdoor furniture options as well. I’ve had several of you who have requested that lately! Basically, here is a giant list of all my favorites from Wayfair for you! All you have to do is double click on the items pictured.

First up here is everything currently in our home available from Wayfair.

Ok, next up you may have noticed our living room isn’t quite done. There is not an end table in sight, well minus the outdoor garden stool I stuck here temporarily. I have said before that I don’t like to buy everything all at once for a room but rather collect different pieces over time as we live here and see how we use the space. Well, I’ve decided it’s finally time to collect some end tables. Especially now that we are hanging out here all the time. I’m thinking a square one on the end of the couch under the window and a round one on the other side. I’m not big on matchy-matchy, so I have quite the eclectic bunch of tables in my cart at the moment. I’ll share what I decide in a few weeks!

Ok and last, the number one request I’ve had lately is to round up some great outdoor furniture options as I think we are all trying to make the most of indoor and outdoor spaces being stuck at home. Here in Michigan, we have had an odd combo of weather. It’s been 60 degrees where my kids have been so desperate for some fun that they have been swimming in the freezing lake. It’s also been snowing on and off all week too, that didn’t stop us from getting our outdoor furniture out and bundling up to enjoy a fire outside. Here are a few of my faves including our outdoor dining set above that I love!

I linked all of our Adirondack chairs as well, we have a few wood ones which are budget-friendly and the low maintenance Polywood ones too! Our firepit is no longer available, but I linked a few other options! Sigh, come on summertime!!

I hope if you are in the market for anything you are able to take advantage of this Save Big, Give Back sale from Wayfair. You can shop the sale here. It’s such a great opportunity to grab something you have had your eye on and give back to Feeding America at the same time!

April 8, 2020 By Kelly 12 Comments

Wood Beam Breakfast Nook

I should title this wood beam breakfast nook version 6.0 as I think I have changed this space around a zillion times now. If you are keeping track, I’m on table number two (well technically it’s the same table, but I painted it) and chair situation number three now?

I’ve finally realized the issue is I bought too small of a table to begin with. I was so concerned about people getting in and out around the table and on the bench, that I failed to consider the people sliding around the table most would be my tiny 60 lb children who can maneuver just fine.

A little too fine.

Sharing this bench they were constantly bumping elbows, knocking over each other’s drinks, and generally driving me nuts. I decided enough was enough and it was time for a bigger table, so just one person sits at the bench instead of them both.

And yes, I realize they will still find something to fight about at dinner, but at least they won’t be knocking food over! Although I have to say only having one another these past few weeks, they are really getting along better than ever. I guess when there are no other options, your little brother is not so bad to hang with. Silver linings :)

At this point, you may be saying wait is that table new? Why no, it’s not. My new table is currently hanging out at Crate and Barrel at the closed down mall. They called me to tell me it arrived on the same day they were shutting the store down. So, I will pick it up at some point whenever Michigan opens up again.

It looks like this though. I went with a round table that has a leaf option to go to a bigger oval. That way I have the best of both worlds. I love that it’s a simple pedestal which is great when you have a window seat. It makes it so much easier to slide around. I’m not sure if I will go with the circle or the oval, so stay tuned for breakfast nook 7.0.

My new chairs did, however, arrive before the stay at home order, and I’m in love with them! I ordered new ones because the chairs I had here are only sold in pairs and I only needed 3. I sold the old pair and bought these beauties. I wanted something wood-toned to pick up the beams and I like the rustic yet modern vibe these have. They are comfortable on the back and the quality is great. They do have the option to buy seat pads as well but I like them as is.

Also, I realize in photos the table doesn’t really look too small with 3 chairs, but our knees are all banging against each other.

The details on these chairs are so pretty.

I’ve also been working on a cushion for the window seat over here now that my kids are a little older and spilling less. I bought foam and outdoor fabric (again before the stay at home order). My mother in law is going to help me sew it eventually. Since we are staying home and not visiting family, that plan is on hold for a bit. I did cut and pin the fabric on so we could use it for now. It will look a lot more finished when we add batting and the fabric is sewn tight.

I shopped my home for these throw pillows to finish off the space. I’ll try to link what I can below, but most are a few years old.

I wish I had done a cushion here sooner! This has become Charlie’s new fave spot to watch the neighborhood cats now that it is so comfy and cushy. My kids have also taken to snuggling up with books here while I’m cooking so it feels like we use this space so much more now too.

The new chairs play so nicely with the darker tone of the island (read that post here if you missed it), and overall it feels like a brand new kitchen! Which is great because we have basically been living in here with all the cooking we have been doing.

We actually did a fun family cooking challenge the other night – girls vs boys. Losers had to do the dishes! I hope you all are staying well, staying home and staying sane! :)

SOURCE LIST:

Island color – Blue Note by Benjamin Moore

Wall color – Extra White by Sherin Williams

Beams – They were in the basement of the old cottage that used to be here and we saved them to use here.

Stools – find them here

Step stool – find it here

Old table – find it here (I painted mine white)

New table – find it here

New Chairs – find them here

Wood floors – find them here

Light fixtures – find them here

Subway tile – Lowes

Pillows – old from Target

Bowls – Local store The Counting House

Cookbook – find it here

March 31, 2020 By Kelly 41 Comments

Navy Island White Kitchen

I read a tweet the other day something to the effect of “It’s crazy how fast I got to the rearrange all the furniture in my house stage of quarantine.” And I feel seen! Except I weirdly started with the “paint everything in your whole house” stage of self-isolation first. I’ve also hit the obsessively cleaning stage, organizing stage and rearranging pillows stage to name a few. I’ll keep you posted on what other stages I happen upon next…but here we go with my new navy island in our white kitchen!

I painted my island! Well, really I painted my pantry door first and it all went downhill from there. Or up depending on how you look at it. I have many times talked about falling prey to the “if you give a mouse a cookie decorating situation” and once again an innocent paint touch up turned into a big ole project.

Also, that right light is crooked in every shot and it is making me crazy. It’s fine. Just fine. FINE! ;)

There was a big gouge in our pantry door, so I got a bee in my bonnet to paint it, but I thought if I was going to paint it why not switch things up more? So, I painted it black. Which I loved! Then I got on a painting kick and started touching up all the baseboards in our house. Which led to the island. It was kind of destroyed thanks to my kids smashing their barstools against it all the time. About half of it needed to be painted. And AGAIN, if I was going to paint it, why not switch up the color?

My back up paint color for the wet bar cabinets in the basement that I painted that mushroom color (see that post here) was this deep navy blue. It’s Blue Note by Benjamin Moore. I thought why not use that here! I still loved the old color, but I love to switch things up even more. And… I have just a little bit of time on my hands being stuck home, so why not?

I love it! It feels like it should have been this color all along. It’s such a fun change and I love the contrast of the deeper color in here. It plays really nicely with our navy chairs in our living room. I didn’t take any full room shots since it was hard enough just to get this area clean with all of us elbowing for office/school space, but I will at some point.

The navy bar stools really pop against it.

I again used the same paint and painting tips I talked about in this post here. It’s the same paint that the painter painted them with the first time around, so I know it’s good stuff.

Oh, sneak peek of my new breakfast nook chairs over there too. I will be sharing that next week. That’s a whole other saga, and I’m currently waiting on a new table over there too! The Mr. bought it for me for my birthday (which was yesterday), but it’s trapped inside the mall at Crate and Barrel for the foreseeable future. That just gives me one more thing to look forward to when life returns to normal again.

Oh and after all that, I actually re-painted the pantry door white because the black looked bad with the navy. Well, actually I painted it gray and then white, but the point is it’s white now and I like it! I hope you all are staying safe and well and possibly tackling some fun projects in your house or painting everything in sight light a crazy person. Tell me I’m not alone?! :)

SOURCES: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. Just click on the BOLD links.

White cabinets – Extra White by Sherwin Williams

Island – Blue Note by Benjamin Moore

Flooring – find it here

Range – 36 in Monogram by GE

Utensil rack – Ikea

Countertop – white quartz by Vicostone the color is Misterio

Tile – Lowe’s

Grout – not sure a mid-tone gray that the tile installer had

Runner – find it here

Step stool – find it here

Hardware – find it here

Tray – find it here

Lights – find them here (I spray painted mine black)

White vase – not available anymore but this one is similar

Stools – find it here

Pantry wallpaper – find it here

Navy Island White Kitchen

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Navy Island White Kitchen

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