Blog - The Lilypad Cottage

May 5, 2021 By Kelly 9 Comments

Must Have Makeup – My Daily Makeup Routine

Whenever I get messages on Instagram asking about my makeup, I usually refer them to my must have makeup post. Until I actually read it over today and realized it’s over 2 years old. I’ve switched out a few old faves for new products that I now love. I promise an update on the guest cottage is coming soon. I’m trying to stay out of the plumbers way this week, but in the meantime, I thought it would be the perfect time to refresh that post with my new faves! So here we go with my must have makeup – my daily makeup routine.

Must Have Makeup – My Daily Makeup Routine

SOURCES: Disclaimer – 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.

I thought I would also break down the order and the way I use each product in case that’s helpful. So let’s start with prepping my face. I wash and moisturize my face every morning and use this SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum I’ve mentioned before. I follow that up with Elemis Marine Cream with SPF and I’m ready for my makeup products.

Makeup Face Prep

PRIMERS –

First up, I have been using this IT Cosmetics Your Face But Better Primer for over a year now and I love it. I like to apply it after my moisturizer and let it set a bit before applying my CC cream. While that sets I apply the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion. I have hooded eyes and without this stuff my eyeshadow creases horribly. I’ve been using this for a million years and I swear by it. I also lightly dab a bit of the Becca Eye Brightener under my eyes while everything is setting. Now my face is ready to go.

FOUNDATION –

I used to use a few different foundations depending on the season, but I’ve switched over exclusively to IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC cream with SPF. As I’m getting older, I just love the light coverage of this formula and the built in SPF.

CONCEALER –

Tarte Shape Tape is still my absolute fave. I just ordered the ultra creamy formula to try (my mom swears by it!), which is supposed to be better for aging skin. I like to use this under my eye, down the bridge of my nose, and a little dab on my chin and forehead.

SETTING POWDER –

After concealer and CC cream I set everything with powder. I’ve tried out a few different setting powders over the past 2 years and I’ve repurchased this Laura Mercier one twice now. It’s so nice and light and not cakey. It sets my make-up and reduces any shiny areas.

BRONZER –

Bronzers are another item that I have a drawer full of. This Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer was a fave through my late twenties, and I’m not sure why I stopped using it! It’s a great warm, not orange shade, with no sparkle. It just adds a really natural glow. I use it to contour my nose a bit too.

BLUSH –

I love this Benefit Cheek Party blush/bronzer sample set that I recently purchased. It was a great way to try a bunch of different colors without a big commitment. I actually really like all of the colors and have been rotating them. My fave for summer is the GALifornia Sunny Gold Pink Blush.

HIGHLIGHTER –

I like to use a little bit of highlighter (a little goes a long way) especially in the summer months. This Marc Jacobs O!Mega Glaze All-Over Foil Luminizer one is my go to. It has a really pretty glow. I use it on my brow bone and cheekbones. Bonus – it’s on major sale right now!

EYEBROWS –

Like most teenagers that grew up in the 90’s, I unfortunately suffered from the misguided over-plucking of my youth. Filling my sparse blonde eyebrows in is a must. This Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade makes it a pretty quick process, and the blonde color is the perfect tone for me. The Duo Brush makes it really easy to apply.

EYESHADOW –

This Tartelette 2 in Bloom Clay eyeshadow palette is still my fave. It has great neutrals for everyday, and some deeper colors for a more dramatic eye at night. I typically apply Flower Child over my whole lid, and Jetsetter and Sweetheart in my crease for daytime. For night I like to use Rebel or Activist. I also use the Smokeshow color along my lash line as an eyeliner.

EYELINER –

These Stila Stay All Day Waterproof liquid eyeliners are still my go to. They are so easy to apply since they have a felt-tip like applicator. If you can color in the lines you can use this. I like to use the Intense Smoky Quartz color for day, and Intense Black for a night out.

EYELASHES –

The Loreal Voluminous Lash Primer plus this IT Cosmetics Lash Blowout mascara has been my go to combo for the last year. I love how full and fluffy this combo makes my lashes look without being spidery.

LIPS –

I like to keep my lips looking pretty natural, but with a touch of color. I use this Charlotte Tilbury lipliner in Pillow Talk to lightly line and fill in my lips. Then for day I layer over this Buxom Power-full Plump Lip Balm in the color Big O. I love Buxom products, and this moisturizing lip balm with a hint of color is perfect for daytime. I love their Full-on Lip Cream for night.

SETTING SPRAY –

I finish everything off with a few spritzes of this Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. It really keeps my makeup put!

I think that’s it for my must have makeup – my daily makeup routine. I know it sounds like a lot of steps, but it only takes me about 10 minutes to apply. You can click on any of the bold links above or double-click on the squares below.

April 28, 2021 By Kelly 19 Comments

Pool Landscaping with ShrubBucket

If you have been following along for the last few years, you know the whole pool area has been a process. A looong process. From green slime, to missing tile, and a rotten fence – it was in rough shape when we bought the property. Now that the pool house is looking fancy, the old pool tile has been replaced, and the pool thankfully is a normal color, we were ready to give the landscaping a little upgrade this year.

I’m super excited to be partnering with ShrubBucket on our pool landscaping. If you haven’t heard of ShrubBucket, it is an online plant store that delivers plants right to your door! It’s so convenient and easy to use. This service is great, especially if you get overwhelmed at the nursery with all the plant names, tags, and ideal planting conditions. Should it be in the shade? Or the sun? Or will the deer eat it? ShrubBucket makes it super easy to plan out your space. You can search their site by plant type, sun vs shade, or even by butterfly friendly plants and so on. There is SO much helpful information about each plant variety. It makes gardening a no brainer for even the blackest of thumbs.

It was a breeze to order and the plants they delivered are gorgeous. Let me show you what all we included in our plan.

You all know my obsession with hydrangeas so Limelights and Endless Summers were a must by the pool. We also wanted more of a hedge look to cover up our fence so we ordered a ton of Arborvitae, which do really well for us here.

Here’s a little flashback to how the pool looked when we first moved in. Not the best!

We replaced the old wood fence, but left the chainlink. I just gave it a coat of black spray paint. When we first moved here, our kids were 5 and 8 (which seems crazy), so we liked the idea of being able to see that back patch of yard for them to play soccer etc.. Now that they are almost 10 and 13 we decided to hide the fence a bit with these gorgeous arborvitae.

It was tempting to plant them really close together to create an instant hedge, but I decided to listen to the experts and leave them enough room to grow.

I can’t wait for them to fill in over the years, but it’s already so nice to have the extra color back here.

Speaking of color, I should mention that we just took the cover off the pool yesterday, so it’s not quite as crystal clear as it will be!

Over by the pool house, I planted these Limelight hydrangeas 2 years ago and they do great here. I decided to extend that look and plant 6 more along the rest of the fence. These grow SO fast and will be full of gorgeous blooms in the next few years. Oh and you can see the difference between the old and new tile here too.

Over by the lounge chairs we used to have boxwoods planted that you could never really see. I moved those over to the new guest cottage and went with another row of the taller arborvitae here too.

I love that you can see them so much better than the boxwoods.

This little spot by the cabana doesn’t get a ton of afternoon sun, so I thought it would be a great spot for a pop of color. Endless Summer hydrangeas are always a go to for me.

I love to use them in planters by our front door and this was a great spot to use them again. I’m so excited for them to bloom!

I’ll have to provide an update as we move into summer and everything blooms. I didn’t want to wait to tell you about ShrubBucket as now is the time to start planning those outdoor projects. Be sure to check out their site for all the details and helpful plant information. You can also find out if they deliver to your area here.

Planting all of these gorgeous plants has me so excited to spend the summer out here by the pool. There is still a ways to go, but it’s starting to come together!

SOURCES: Disclaimer – 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.

Chairs

Rug

Fence color Butternut by Defy

April 14, 2021 By Kelly 33 Comments

Guest Cottage Design Boards

We are still working away outside at the guest cottage while we wait on new windows and doors to arrive. I’ve been landscaping and tackling the patio. I’m actually staining the existing patio pavers to see if we can revive them. I’m not quite happy with where it’s at yet but I’m hoping to finish soon. Since it’s not ready for it’s close up, I thought I would share some of the guest cottage design boards I’ve been working on. As you know from following along with the pool house renovations I may change my mind a million times yet, but this is the direction my brain is going.

Guest Cottage Living Room Design

I’m embracing the old character of this cottage with the dark wood floors and paneled walls. I’ve decided on a classic cottage feel. First I want to brighten it up in there so the walls in the kitchen and living room will get several coats of white paint. The the new french doors will be gray inside and out. I’m going to carry the gray throughout the space on all of the trim for contrast.

We will be planking the ceilings in white as well. I plan on lightening up the wood floors with a large jute rug, and will probably layer something with some color and pattern on top. I love the look of the warm leather chairs for this space, and I’ll add a couch along the back wall as well.

Guest Cottage Kitchen Design

Let’s head over to the kitchen. After researching cabinets and finding out the lead times were insane, we decided to buy stock cabinets from Lowes. I didn’t even realize they had stock cabinets! They are available in white, gray and unfinished. Since I already have to paint all the walls we decided to skip on painting cabinets as well. We ordered the gray ones last week and they actually arrive Saturday. I’m crossing my fingers we measured everything right. Luckily since they are stock we can return them if we goofed up. We only needed 6 base cabinets so this seemed like an easy inexpensive route to fix up the kitchen. I will mention they have mixed reviews online, but since this kitchen won’t be getting daily heavy use I’m not too worried about it.

For the countertops I’m thinking about going dark with a soapstone look to contrast the white walls and ceilings. The kitchen will be in an L shape and there will be a sink under the new larger windows. On the back wall will be a retro looking fridge similar to the pool house fridge except larger. I’m on the hunt for an antique glass front cabinet to keep the toaster, microwave etc in.

I plan on taking the tile all the way up the wall, since there is no paneling behind where we ripped out the upper cabinets. I would also like to add some wood open shelving to tie in the color of the floors. There was a originally a light in the kitchen soffit so we will be swapping that out for two brass wall sconces instead.

That’s all I have so far, I’m still working out the bathroom design. I have no clues about the bedrooms, but it’s a start! The electrician and plumber will be starting in 2 weeks and then we can really get started inside.

March 30, 2021 By Kelly 37 Comments

Guest House Progress and Fire Pit

We’ve been brainstorming away over at the guest cottage. While still mostly in the planning stage, we have made a little bit of progress. Mostly in the form of demo!

Remember the kitchen?

It’s gone!

And the bathroom?

Gone too!

I think this is one of those instances, where it’s got to get worse before it gets better right? Here’s hoping anyway! The bathroom feels so much larger with everything ripped out. It’s actually a 5×8 space which isn’t terrible size-wise. They just had it set up so odd.

The new plan is to put a shower/tub combo along that back wall, which means we will lose the window. Then the toilet and pedestal sink will be on the same wall instead of facing each other. We also are relocating the hot water heater out of this room, which will make the biggest difference. We are hoping the plumber can rough that in during the next few weeks.

We also ripped out the drop ceiling. I can’t even explain how much better it smells in here now that it is gone. We have plans to plank the ceilings instead (don’t worry I’ll share the whole process!).

We ordered stock cabinets for the kitchen, and they will be delivered in a few weeks. It seems like we are trucking right along. The only snag we are hitting is there is a 10 week lead time on the new windows. This slows down some of the inside painting and trim finishes, etc.

Since we are as far as we can be inside at the moment, we’ve gotten a head start on the outside.

First to go was that dilapidated shed! I cannot believe how much better the view is with that thing gone.

We had a local landscaping company (Landscape Impressions if you are local) regrade the yard, and add a circle of pea gravel for a fire pit area. The hay is covering the grass seed so it doesn’t run into the lake. A pallet of leftover fireplace stone has been sitting in our garage for the last 4 years. I always knew there was a reason I was hanging on to it!

We used it to border the new firepit area. These quick iPhone photos don’t really do it justice. It’s hard to tell in the photos, but this little house sits up on a hill and has a pretty steep yard. We were able to perfectly nestle the fire pit area right in between these 4 trees. We also had all the dead tree branches removed which made a huge difference too.

We bought a bag of mortar and surrounded the firepit ring with the leftover stone as well. It was still drying when I took these quick photos, but I’m really happy with how it looks. I’ll have to finish and style this space once the grass comes in, and we finish the rest of the landscaping. I’m so excited about having s’mores out here this summer with the kids.

We also power washed the whole house which made such a huge difference too. The siding thankfully looks brand new. We have new gutters coming as well.

Oh, also I wanted to thank you all for the fun name suggestions! I think Tadpole Cottage and Pollywog Cottage are definitely the top contenders!

March 24, 2021 By Kelly 41 Comments

Navy Pool House Snack Bar

In all the excitement of sharing our newest project last week, I haven’t abandoned the pool house! I’m still (like most everyone else in the midst of a project) waiting on deliveries. The painter finished up this week, so I am ready to debut the navy pool house snack bar area!

I’ve shared little sneak peeks here and there, but I don’t think I have shared my favorite part – the cute appliances! I’m so excited I was able to partner with Big Chill Appliances for this project. They have such fun retro-style appliances that I have long admired. I’m so glad I finally had a spot to use them.

Their retro mini fridge was the perfect bit of fun for this space.

Of course, they pop perfectly against my favorite navy cabinet color – Blue Note by Benjamin Moore.

Navy Pool House Snack Bar

Here’s a look at the planning stage –

and where we ended up! Putting these cabinets in the angled part of the room was a great storage solution.

Here are a few pulled-back shots so you can see how the bar relates to the dining space.

The snack bar is right around the corner from the staircase. The staircase placement originally created an awkward spot, but this design is a great use of the space.

I’m thrilled that we have a spot for drinks and snacks right by the pool now. Although I had perfected carrying enormous snack trays from the kitchen with my kids’ 52 zillion requests, I won’t miss my attempts at filling drink orders and waitressing. Now everyone can just pop up the stairs and help themselves.

I haven’t filled the cabinets just yet, but I plan on keeping crackers, nuts, and of course microwave popcorn for the Big Chill Pro Microwave.

This fridge can store so many drinks. I love that it has a spot for wine bottles as well. I plan on stocking the drawer with handheld fruits like tangerines and cherries this summer to balance out all the popcorn and snacks.

The antique brass hardware with the chrome and white appliances is a fun mix as well.

The Mr. and I tackled this small tile backsplash and wall before working on the big flooring project downstairs. I’m so happy with how it turned out. I love the color variations in the tile that give it a handmade feel.

I went with plastic chairs again (you’ve heard me go on and on about wet bathing suits at this point). I love that these coordinate with the dining area chairs, but they are still a bit different with the lower backs and wood-toned legs.

I used faux stems here so I don’t have to remember to water them, and these are the best I’ve seen! I rounded out the area with a little artwork I snagged on a Target run last weekend.

I’m so happy with how this whole area came out. From a weird little unusable nook to a perfectly practical and pretty snack bar area. It’s a small space, but we packed a lot of storage and functionality into it.

If you missed any pool house progress posts check them out below.

Pool House Dining Area

Pool House Bathroom

Pool House Mudroom

SOURCES: Disclaimer – 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.

Wall color – Extra White by Sherwin Williams

Cabinet color – Blue Note by Benjamin Moore

March 19, 2021 By Kelly 8 Comments

Amaretto Bourbon Cocktail with Red Wine Float

I’ve got a pretty unusual cocktail for you today. It’s based on a drink I had at a local restaurant a few weeks ago, Roam in Grand Rapids for you locals. They called it Velvet Skies because it has a red wine float on top and the color is so pretty. So, yes an amaretto bourbon cocktail with a red wine float.

All of my favorite flavors in one glass! I had to order it even though I wasn’t sure about the combo together. The bartender there is a genius because this is sooo delicious! It looks so cool when you first make it with the red wine melting down into the amber liquor. Unfortunately, my camera skills weren’t fast enough to capture it before it settled.

The Mr. has been working on recreating this one at home. I’ve been working very hard at the taste testing, and I think he finally hit it on the head. Side note – he likes to face toward the bar when we go out so he can watch the bartender and pick up some tips!

I love amaretto, but I never thought to combine it with bourbon, much less red wine. Somehow it all works together to make a slightly sweet old-fashioned type cocktail, with the unique twist of red wine.

Amaretto Bourbon Cocktail with Red Wine Float

Save Print

Amaretto Bourbon Cocktail

Recipe type: cocktail

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

3 oz bourbon (2 shots)
1.5 oz amaretto (1 shot)
1 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz red wine (we used a red blend)
cherry garnish

Instructions

Pour the first 3 ingredients into a glass with ice.
Mix well.
Gently pour red wine on top.
Garnish with a cherry.
Enjoy!

We have big plans to start demo on our new little cottage next door this weekend. I have a feeling we will be needing a few of these after a long day of working Saturday. If you missed that post, you can check it out here Guest House Renovation Plan.

If you are a bourbon lover like we are, you may also like our Lemon Maple Bourbon Cocktail, or a fall fave the Pear Bourbon Cocktail. Happy weekend!

March 16, 2021 By Kelly 107 Comments

Guest House Renovation Plans

Ok, so you may be saying guest house renovation plans, whaaat??? We are still saying that to ourselves too, ha! Let me back up. Right next door to our house is one of the original little cottages on the lake. It has been vacant for the last 4 years and in pretty rough shape (that may be an understatement). We have always tossed around the idea of buying it if it ever came up for sale. Well, this winter it finally did and we decided to go for it! When I say little, it’s a total of 556 sq feet. two bedrooms, the world’s tiniest bathroom, and a kitchen/living room combo along with 50 ft of lake frontage.

Here’s a little tour…and stay with me, I know it looks a tad scary. It doesn’t help that I snapped the inside shots when it was raining. I promise in real life it has a lot of potential and charm, despite these creepy straight out of “Ozark” shots.

You can see how close our house is in the above photo.

Here is the kitchen.

Living room.

Bathroom…don’t worry we will be gutting this.

Bedroom 1.

Bedroom 2.

We’ve been sitting on it all winter trying to figure out what to do with it. Knock it down? Try and save it? Rent it out? Well, after much debate, we have decided we are going to fix it up. This will be the new Lily Pad Cottage Headquarters when it’s finished! We are going to turn it into an office/guest house space. When we built our current home we didn’t include a guest room, or an office in the plans. We have kicked ourselves over that decision a few times now (or for this whole year of the Mr. working from home). So this will function as my office on a day-to-day basis. The Mr. will use it too if he is still working from home by the time it’s done. With the two bedrooms, it will be great for weekend guests as well. Also long term, my mom is jokingly referring to this as her own personal retirement home! ;) Renting it out occasionally is an option too, lots of possibilities!

I’m so excited to have an actual desk to sit at, as is my neck and back. Apparently my days of blogging from my couch with Charlie in my lap are over – according to my chiropractor. It’s time to sit in a big girl chair at a real desk, and this little cottage has just the spot by the window overlooking the lake!

I’ve been coming up with a few different design ideas that I thought I would share. Let’s start outside –

These aren’t the exact windows and doors etc. we are going to use, but this is just a quick design idea to give a sense of the plan. We want to add a french door and replace those windows. The siding needs a good power washing, but otherwise, it’s in fine shape. I think shutters and maybe a little pergola would go a long way in adding curb appeal.

I shared a little tour on Instagram (it’s saved in my highlights if you want to check it out). There were lots of suggestions to put additions on or a second story. Building on the lake has a zillion hoops to jump through, which translates to $$$. So for now, we are going to work with the existing footprint and do this makeover on a budget. We can always revisit an addition down the road, but we want to see how we use this space first before spending a ton of money on it.

Here is a look at the view from the patio, again I wish I had taken this on a sunny day. We plan to take this eyesore shed down, which is happening later this week. In its place, we will be putting in a nice firepit. A firepit area down by the lake has been in the plans for the last few years. I’m so glad we waited because this is the perfect spot for it.

For the inside, we plan on ripping out the kitchen, painting all that paneling, and gutting the bathroom. I used Ikea’s kitchen planner to make a little mockup of the living room/kitchen space.

See my desk overlooking the lake? It’s going to be so fun!

We plan on removing all the upper cabinets to make room for a larger window. Also, extending the kitchen into an L-shape will give us more counter space.

Oh and don’t worry, I have ideas for that drop ceiling too… As usual, I will be sharing the whole process here and on Instagram.

So what do you think? Have we lost our minds?? I’m not sure either, but I’m excited! I think this little place needs a name, any ideas? Someone suggested Frogmore Cottage ha! Which is pretty darn cute with Lily Pad Cottage…

March 10, 2021 By Kelly 14 Comments

Pool House Dining Area

I’ve been sharing bits and pieces of the pool house over here. Mainly, because I’m showing you the spaces that are actually complete-ish. It’s all still definitely a work in progress, but it’s getting there! I have another little corner to share with you today. This time let’s head upstairs to the bunkroom and the pool house dining area.

Like always here is a fun BEFORE shot of this space. Wow, I had to look back in my phone to 2016 to find this one!

AFTER. I tried to get the same angle here. There were 2 windows on either side of a wasp-infested barndoor. Also, that chimney wasn’t connected to anything below so we were never sure about what they used it for.

Now that we replaced the rickety barndoor with french doors it’s so much brighter in this space.

Pool House Dining Area

I was originally thinking of a round table up here with four chairs, but once everything was built we had plenty of room for a larger rectangle table. Not to mention with six beds in the bunk area, seating six at the table just sort of made sense.

I know the angles of these shots make it look like you would smack your head on the angled ceiling, but my 5’9″ self is totally comfortable sitting in the chairs in the back.

I wanted to warm things up by adding a wood table. I found this table on sale a few weeks ago. Bonus – with curbside pickup I was able to order online and pick it up that same day rather, than deal with the crazy shipping times everything else has.

Side note I just got word the bunkhouse bedding is on the way – cue happy dance! So hopefully I will be able to share the bunks on the other side of the room looking cute in the next few weeks.

I’m also being very strategic in not showing the snack bar area, since all of the shoe molding is painted the wrong color. The painter is supposed to show up this week to fix it and then I can share that too!

Ok back to the dining area. I’ve been pretty consistent with my attempts at practicality in this space. I want to be able to relax by the pool and not constantly be worrying about my adorable well-behaved children destroying the furniture up here. ;) So these chairs were a perfect choice.

I love the simple modern style. They are plastic so wet butts will be welcome here and they stack! I love that feature if we ever want to store them out of the way easily.

They are also surprisingly really comfy. As comfy as plastic chairs get I guess.

I added this little bowl of faux grass from HomeGoods, for a fun pop of color.

I shared these prints a few weeks back from Blakely Made. I love them tucked in this little corner here. This is really the only wall space available to hang art, and the colors are perfect.

We have already had a family game night just to test things out. I’m so excited to use this space this summer too!

Coastal Pool House Mudroom

I have another fun pool house “before and after” for you today! This little coastal pool house mudroom used to be a dark and dingy room where we just kept pool chemicals and cobwebs… So, I’m so excited that it’s actually a useable space now!

Brace yourself for the BEFORE

IN PROGRESS

AFTER

Coastal Pool House Mudroom

Again, this flooring from Mirth Studio really makes the space!

We originally wanted to add built-in cabinets and hooks, etc. over here more like a traditional mudroom. However, we ended up nixing that idea for a free-standing piece of furniture instead. I realized I wanted a little more flexibility in this space since I’m not 100 percent sure how we will use everything over here yet. Not to mention it saved a lot of money going this route too!

I found this fun green cabinet for this wall. It’s metal vs wood, so I don’t need to worry about it being ruined from wet towels or sunscreen, etc…

I was unsure if I would like the fact that you can see through the doors at first. However, if your kids/husband are anything like mine, in that they can’t see something unless it’s in front of their face, I think this may be a bonus! I think it will also be helpful for guests as well.

I added baskets on the bottom to keep sunscreen and goggles stored away as well.

These larger baskets will store more towels, or maybe one will store clean ones, and one dirty ones? Again, I’m sure I’ll change this space several times this summer once we are using it more. I shared this basket in the bathroom last week, but it actually blocked the closet door in there, so I switched them both to being out here for now.

I’m thinking I may add a bench or maybe some more hooks on this wall over here? Just thinking out loud as usual.

You may remember these fun prints from my mood board. And yes, they are a bit large and in charge in here. Their oversized size was a necessity to cover up the ugly electrical box. So yes, the scale is a bit in your face for a small room (well in photos anyway), but actually in real life it works plus is better than staring at the electrical box eyesore.

You can see the electrical box in this “before” photo.

This mirror was one of the first things I bought for this space. I think the room was still at the studs last spring when I bought it, so it was so fun to finally hang it up! Hanging it across from the window reflects the light (and the pool once it’s open) and brightens the space up so much.

It’s so bright in here in fact it’s hard to read the vertical planked walls in these photos, but I’ll be giving a little tour over on Instagram later this week.

Oh and the new staircase! Before the stairs were a weird DIY combo that the previous owners built with the landing being an old folding tabletop! Seriously, a few homemade steps leading to a tabletop with a ladder attached to make it the rest of the way :) So very happy to have this beautiful (and safe) staircase to replace that. I’ve had lots of questions about the newel post in here and our contractor just built it to match the ones in our house. I wanted something simple and classic.

I’m still playing around with styling in this space and just shopping my home for now, but wow it feels like a breath of fresh air to step through that door now!

If you missed the Pool House Bathroom reveal last week you can check it out here – Pool House Bathroom.

SOURCES: Disclaimer – 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.

Wall color – Extra White by Sherwin Williams

Wall material – MDF panels that were milled with a v-groove at 6 inch increments

LVP flooring on stairs

Lights

February 26, 2021 By Kelly 10 Comments

Spring Clothes & Makeup – Friday Feels

Welcome to another Friday Feels where I share what I’m feeling this week. 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.

It’s been a while since a good old-fashioned Friday Feels! The pool house project has been taking up all my time lately, but I do have a few fun finds to share!

The temps are in the 40’s this week (break out the shorts and flip flops Michigan!) and this “heatwave” has me thinking of spring fashion. The return to wearing real clothes is feeling closer, and I have a few pieces I’ve added to my closet in the last few weeks.

First up these cute sandals. They perfectly pair with jeans for early spring, but look adorable with shorts and casual dresses too. Plus they are under $35, and the nude color is so versatile.

I added this tank to my cart to qualify for free shipping (that gets me every time), and I love it! It’s great with leggings and sneakers, but stylish enough to throw on with jeans and a necklace too. I bought the olive color, but it comes in a few different colors. Here is the olive on me below with the cute sandals too.

Tank – Jeans – Sandals

Ok, so tank top weather is wishful thinking for us up north yet, but I found this cute springy cardigan to help me transition to spring. Cozy enough to wear now, but lightweight enough that it will work with denim shorts too. It comes in black and green and it’s under $20!

We have all seen the memes going around that the adorable Gen-Z kids are telling us we are old dorks if we side part our hair and don skinny jeans. I personally will not be letting go of my skinny jeans anytime soon, but I did just buy this cute pair of straight-leg jeans. They are a great color, comfortable, and manage to not look like frumpy mom jeans. I feel like they are the perfect pair of “dip your toe in the water” non-skinny jeans. I threw them on with the cozy sweater above so you could see the fit.

Sweater – Jeans – Shoes

I also snagged this pretty dress. It feels like pajamas, can be dressed up or down, and comes in a ton of different colors. Other bonuses for me, you can wear a real bra with it. The wrap across the front is suuuper flattering if you have had a kid or two, a chilidog or two…or both!

I’m almost out of my normal blush and bronzer palette. I’ve been wanting to try something new. This Benefit Cheek Party sampler pack is perfect to try out new colors, plus there is actually a ton of product in them! How much blush does one person actually use? These will last a long time, and I love all of the colors.

While I was at Ulta, I grabbed a refill on my favorite Buxom lipgloss, and I noticed they had this new Buxom Power-full Plump lip balm. With mask-wearing, I’ve been reaching for chapstick and lip balm more than lipgloss lately. I love that this one has a touch of color to it. I bought the pink color – Big O (ahem) and immediately ordered the Dolly Fever color too. It has that cool minty slightly plumping effect that Buxom is known for but in a subtle color chapstick form.

I haven’t had a manicure in over a year, and to be honest, it’s not my favorite thing to go sit and do. There already aren’t enough hours in the day, so I don’t want to drive somewhere to sit and get my nails done. I mentioned earlier this year that I love the new Olive and June nail polish kit which makes it so easy to paint your nails. Well, I recently tried out Red Aspen nail dashes and it’s even easier! I never thought I would be a press-on nail kind of girl, but these come in really pretty neutral colors. They have wild ones too if that’s more your style. I love that they come in a shorter length. They were super easy to put on, and 5 days later they are still going strong. You can use my link here to check them out for yourself! I think that’s all I have for you this week, happy weekend!

You can check out past Friday Feels here, for skin care and nail polish finds!

Must Have Makeup – My Daily Makeup Routine

Makeup Face Prep

PRIMERS –

FOUNDATION –

CONCEALER –

SETTING POWDER –

BRONZER –

BLUSH –

HIGHLIGHTER –

EYEBROWS –

EYESHADOW –

EYELINER –

EYELASHES –

LIPS –

SETTING SPRAY –

Guest Cottage Living Room Design

Guest Cottage Kitchen Design

Navy Pool House Snack Bar

Amaretto Bourbon Cocktail with Red Wine Float

Pool House Dining Area

Coastal Pool House Mudroom

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