Budget, necessity, functionality and how much of it we can DIY are all components that go into the decision of what to do next. Here are a few thoughts I have rolling around in my head that hopefully will be started/completed in the next 6 months.
To start, I always make a mood board. This can be done a variety of ways. I generally use Microsoft Publisher, but you can use Word, Instagram Stories or even Paint on your computer. I find inspiration pictures on Pinterest and then find pictures of the components of the space that I want to include in my vision. I save them and just stack them into one place. Boom. Instant Mood Board.
DIY Over-sized Pin-Board:
We are LOVING our new playroom/study/desk area but it is driving me crazy having a huge empty wall. Originally I wanted some sort of bulletin board to display the kiddos' creations, but to find one as big as I needed would end up being hundreds of dollars.
Insert the beauty of a Pinterest search. Once I typed in "oversized pin board" the results came flooding in. There are a few inspiration pictures below that include tutorials that look very straightforward. I can't wait to get started and fill some space on those gorgeously repainted walls!
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| Source: www.whitspeaks.com via Pinterest |
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| Source: www.eye-swoon.com via Pinterest |
Wet Bar Makeover:
Yes, we have a wet bar. In all actuality, it's a pretty cool little space. It was almost like a little hidden surprise when we bought our house. It has a small sink and opens up into our living room. It's pretty outdated, therefore, the doors are always closed, but with a quick little refresh it could be such a fun space to open up during parties and mix a few drinks!
In an attempt to keep this project as budget friendly as possible (my goal is right around $100), I was on the hunt to get the most bang for my buck.
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| Source: www.housebeautiful.com via Pinterest |
I found this inspiration picture and knew that I wanted to paint the bottom cabinets a fun color and use a bold print on the walls. Initially I was toying around with the idea of peel and stick wallpaper, but the space that would need coverage was juuuust big enough to have to buy two rolls of wall paper which added to my already tiny budget.
After doing a few mock ups with wallpaper I found an even better alternative - stencils! In the renderings below, the first two pics are wallpaper prints that I loved, and the third is a stencil. I am in a black/white/blue color combination love fest right now and knew in an instant that was the direction I wanted to go.
After looking online I found the star tile stencil, with a price tag of about $30 (including shipping). Not horrible, but something just kept me from clicking the "buy" button.
Well, over the weekend I popped into Michael's and found a great deal on a stencil that looks very similar to the star stencil and will be the perfect fit to my design vision. The best part...I only spent $4 on this bad boy - lots of clearance going on! I spent another $6 on black paint to roll over the stencil, always using a 40% off coupon, and I was completely happy with my $10 purchase.
Here is the before picture of the wet bar - very outdated with LOTS of potential. We have already pulled all of the shelving out, ditched the mirror and painted the bottom cabinets. Just painting, stenciling, new cabinet hardware and shelving is all that is left. The finished update will be coming soon!
Fire Pit Revamp:
We have the most perfect spot for a fire pit at our new house. Before it was even ours and I saw the pictures online I knew the area would be amazing for those chilly North Carolina nights. With a climate like ours we can use the area for almost all four seasons. We have a make shift fire pit there now, but I can't wait for a (hopefully) springtime redo.
Our backyard is half grass and half mulchy/dirt combination. The problem with our fire pit area is that our shoes get SO DIRTY when we are down there, as well as our chairs get covered in dirt and mulch when it rains. We also don't have a very stable place to set up a table for our speaker, Instant Pot for Hot Chocolate, mugs and smores stuff.
Now, that hasn't stopped us, we have had many fires down there, but again, this area could be much more functional.
Mike and I both love the thought of a circular area with a low fire pit lined with rocks. The two inspiration pictures are gorgeous, but most likely out of our budget with the huge pieces of flagstone (nor could we really DIY this very well without some heavy machinery).
Our solution at the moment is to use these concrete forms to create a faux cobblestone pathway/fire pit area. The mold is under $20 and you literally just mix concrete (much cheaper than stone) and fill in the molds in whatever shape/direction you want.
The final look won't be as natural or spectacular as the inspiration pictures, but hey, we aren't spectacular people who need the best of the best. I'm pretty sure this will be "good enough" and will last a long, long time with lots of campfire memories being made.
Hopefully I will be sharing many "after" photos soon!
After looking online I found the star tile stencil, with a price tag of about $30 (including shipping). Not horrible, but something just kept me from clicking the "buy" button.
Well, over the weekend I popped into Michael's and found a great deal on a stencil that looks very similar to the star stencil and will be the perfect fit to my design vision. The best part...I only spent $4 on this bad boy - lots of clearance going on! I spent another $6 on black paint to roll over the stencil, always using a 40% off coupon, and I was completely happy with my $10 purchase.
Fire Pit Revamp:
We have the most perfect spot for a fire pit at our new house. Before it was even ours and I saw the pictures online I knew the area would be amazing for those chilly North Carolina nights. With a climate like ours we can use the area for almost all four seasons. We have a make shift fire pit there now, but I can't wait for a (hopefully) springtime redo.
Our backyard is half grass and half mulchy/dirt combination. The problem with our fire pit area is that our shoes get SO DIRTY when we are down there, as well as our chairs get covered in dirt and mulch when it rains. We also don't have a very stable place to set up a table for our speaker, Instant Pot for Hot Chocolate, mugs and smores stuff.
Now, that hasn't stopped us, we have had many fires down there, but again, this area could be much more functional.
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| Current situation - not the most aesthetically pleasing look, but getting the job done for now. |
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| Source: www.diycraftland.com via Pinterest |
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| Source: www.farmfoodfamily.com via Pinterest |
Our solution at the moment is to use these concrete forms to create a faux cobblestone pathway/fire pit area. The mold is under $20 and you literally just mix concrete (much cheaper than stone) and fill in the molds in whatever shape/direction you want.
The final look won't be as natural or spectacular as the inspiration pictures, but hey, we aren't spectacular people who need the best of the best. I'm pretty sure this will be "good enough" and will last a long, long time with lots of campfire memories being made.
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| Quickrete Walk Maker via Lowe's |
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| Source: www.dhgate.com via Pinterest |
Hopefully I will be sharing many "after" photos soon!
leveling an area (I.E. 16 x 16) for this project may require some raising one area and lowering the opposite ,, both sides using a few levels of a brick wall of sorts.
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