Before & After: Our Kitchen

Posted on April 8, 2013 by thesavvyseeker

It’s finally here! The BIG kitchen reveal!! A few blown electrical outlets, a bad case of bronchitis and a few arguments over wainscoting measurements…and it’s finally all complete!!! Maybe I should pinch myself….or maybe I should just show you guys the photos…

I must really like you guys because I can’t believe I’m showing you these horrible before snapshots of our kitchen…with grocery bags on the floor, mail on the table and little dogs running around! Ain’t no “staging” goin’ on in these photos!

Anyone hungry for tomato soup? That’s what this color reminds me of!

Here’s another view of the opposite end of the kitchen…

Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road…right to the laundry room!

And here’s the photo from when the kitchen was painted and the room was cleared in preparation for the old vinyl floors to be removed. Wow! I can already breathe easier with all the clutter gone!

Ah…much better! What a soothing color!

When the old vinyl flooring was removed we ended up having to build a new sub-floor. That ensured that the new tile floor went in nice and even…and I think it turned out beautifully!

Whoa! What a difference! The wainscoting and new floors really add that extra architectural interest that this room lacked.

This room now holds many of my favorite antique items in our home, including this beautiful pie safe from Sweet Briar, VA. It’s dated around 1840 and came out of a plantation that was being renovated. It even has it’s original locks and key…that still functions. This was the last piece of furniture that my mother-in-law purchased before she passed away last year. She didn’t even get to bring it home from the shop and enjoy it. After she passed, I was able to purchase it and bring it here, to our home…where I can admire it daily and always think of her and our antiquing adventures together.

This key and lock are 173 years old! Imagine the things that they have safely held in this pie safe…

The baseboard heaters, door trim and all of the cabinets are painted white with Benjamin Moore’s Impervo (oil based). The Mr. used to be a painting contractor and swears by the quality and long lasting wear of this paint. This oak farm table was purchased at the Raleigh, NC flea market when I was 20 years old. It was the first piece of antique furniture that I ever purchased and has traveled with me to many different homes. The antique mission chairs were purchased at an estate sale a few years ago for a whoppin’ $30. The antique tool tray was purchased last year in Bucks County, PA.

Originally, I thought I wanted either a large checkerboard pattern tile or a large grey tile floor…but when the Mr. and I walked into Best Tile, we spotted this immediately and knew it was the one (If you go to Best Tile, make sure you work with Mary Thurman…that woman knows her stuff!). We both loved the wood-grain like texture (which you can’t see that well here)…reminiscent of old barn wood.

A better view…wish you could see the beautiful detail in this ceramic tile. It looks just like old barn wood!

Here’s the opposite end of the kitchen. The screen door leads you to a tiny laundry room that also holds our brand new electrical box and hot water heater. Both were 30 years old and decided to die at the same time (perhaps the Romeo and Juliet story of electrical appliances??). We can’t place a solid door here, because the room needs to ventilate, so this was our creative solution.

And here’s a snap shot of one of my other pie safe. If I could have an entire house full of antique pie safes, I’d be a very happy girl…I LOVE these functional, yet beautiful pieces of furniture. Each one is so unique…whether it’s been painted or stained…due to its shape and intricate design punched into the tin doors.

One of the last things we did in this room was to paint the pantry door black. I felt that it by going darker, it offered some nice contrast from the white wainscoting and cabinets.

Can you tell I love furniture and objects that have a folk art feel to them?

Last but not least, I have to give a special shout out to the Mr. for doing such an AMAZING job doing all of the carpentry work and installing all of the beautiful wainscoting that now surrounds this large room. All of the lumber was purchased at Siewers Lumber and Millwork.

I’d also like to thank Randy Hedstrom of Hedstrom Paint & Tile, who did a wonderful and impeccable job putting in the new floor and installing our tile. If you have an upcoming project and need some expert help…he’s your man!

Don’t you love the rusty patina on this old tire sign?

So that’s our big renovation project for the year! Now we can sit back and relax and enjoy our lovely new space. Oh…and speaking of enjoying something new…I wanted show you this awesome antique sign we found this past weekend at a wonderful shop in Toano, VA called Everything Vintage Co. It was going to hang on our shed, but once we brought it home, we loved it so much…we decided to hang it in our family room!

What projects do you have planned for this spring? What do you think of our kitchen renovation? Tell us…we’d love to hear from you!

Demo Day!

Posted on March 11, 2013 by thesavvyseeker

Don’t be fooled by this photo. My frown has been turned upside down now that the demo day has arrived! The guys are at the house as we speak, ripping up my old, crusty vinyl flooring!! I thought I’d share a little of the “before” today…so you can get a feel for what we’re dealing with…

Can you tell how much I like this flooring?

Here’s another photo of the Mr. admiring our ‘yellow brick road’ flooring.

And here’s a shot of one side of the room, not long after we changed the walls from barn red to a soft shade of green.

What a soothing color!

What you don’t see on the other side of this room are the white cabinets, white sink and white subway tile backsplash. However, I promise to show lots of great photos of the entire room when it’s all put together! Can’t wait to show you guys when it’s done!!

Meanwhile, I thought I’d share some other randomness:

Do you love vintage posters as much as I do? Last week, my pal Kathryn sent me a link to www.freevintageposters.com, where you can download and print FREE vintage posters! And, yes, I did say FREE. I feel some decoupage light switch plate covers coming on!! Wouldn’t one of these look great in our newly redone kitchen?

Then I received another email from my good friend Rita, who went to an estate sale and scored this amazing vintage Mickey/Minnie Mouse cookie jar!

Any Disney collectors out there? If so and you know something about this cookie jar, let us know!

While planning for some other fun details in our kitchen last week, I ordered two vintage cheese crates from Julie’s Etsy shop, Hunt and Found. I LOVE the graphics on these old boxes!! I’m not going to tell you just yet what we plan to do with them, but I will tell you that it will be a fun detail in the new kitchen!

Gettin’ cheesy! Too bad I’m lactose intolerant though!

Stay tuned next week…as I should have some fun reveals to show you! Have a great week and happy hunting!

Kitchen Inspiration

Posted on March 4, 2013 by thesavvyseeker

I want to apologize right now for not offering any of the “before” images of what our kitchen looked like when we purchased our 1960′s brick colonial from the original owners. The Mr. was literally peeling pale pink wallpaper and removing the olive green fridge and matching-non-working oven as I was directing the movers where to place things in the house from off the truck…hence the fact that there are no photos. What I can offer you is a humorous mental picture of what it looked like…

Pink and green must have been the “it” color combo of the early 60′s…because it was ALL OVER our home when we first purchased it.

There was a pink “Tiffany style” lamp with a brass/gold chain hanging in the middle of the room, that you would bump your head on if you walked underneath of it. There were “almond” colored cabinets with gold knobs. There was a white formica counter top with gold flecks in it…reminiscent of Goldschlager. The wallpaper was white and pale pink, that had a raised texture to it. The light fixture above the sink was a florescent tube. And the floors…two layers of vinyl, glued together, that have the appearance of pale yellow bricks. Oh, and did I tell you that leading into the kitchen was pink shag carpeting that covered up beautiful, flawless honey oak wooden floors? Yes, I know…I’m a lucky woman.

What I will be able to show you in the coming weeks is our “temporary before,” that we have lived with for the past few years, and a brand new “after.” In the meantime, here’s some vintage and farmhouse-style kitchen eye-candy to get us both inspired!

What do you think about Sharon Osbournes country inspired kitchen? (photo from Architectural Digest)

This photo is from Marion’s lovely updated kitchen at Miss Mustard Seed. I LOVE her chalkboard paint wall. Our kitchen is shaped almost identically to hers…

Check out her marble tile floor and chalkboard painted wall! Adorable! (Photo from Miss Mustard Seed)

I don’t know where this photo originally came from…but I have clipped this image over and over. I LOVE this kitchen…maybe because it’s a lot of different pieces coming together to create a very inviting space?

Check out the antique enamel bread box and architectural elements that were added for display.

These lights are awesome! You can own a pair just like them from Schoolhouse Electric…that offers reproduction antique lighting at affordable prices. Hmmm…I may have to find a place for one!

I totally wish we had glass front cabinets, but that ain’t happenin’ in this round of renovations!

Okay, if these floors don’t give you heart palpitations, then you best check your pulse. DROOL!! And if you look closely in the background…some of the old floors have been painted in a black and white/cream checkerboard pattern…OMG!

Yum…enough said.

I have always loved yellow in a kitchen…it just makes the room sunny and welcomes conversation. This kitchen is a great example of a restoration job.

What do you think about a vintage style fridge?

I like this updated version of country charm…butcher block counter-tops, wainscoting, open shelves and farmhouse sink.

I like open shelving…but that means you have to be super neat and tidy!

I thought this kitchen was fun and friendly. Again, I noticed their vintage style bread box on the counter and jadeite dishes on the shelves.

We have the exact same black vintage rotary phone in our kitchen!

More open shelves…discuss!

Nice white washed wooden floors…

Love the wainscoting on the ceiling…nice touch!

How do you feel about blue in a kitchen? Does it come off as cold?

What do I like about this photo? The antique sign (red) with the pale yellow walls, antique white cabinets, butcher block counter tops, bread box….do I need to continue?

More country, vintage kitchen goodness…

Okay folks…I don’t know where this image originally came from…maybe Better Homes and Gardens…but I find this kitchen to be elegant, soothing, soft and inviting. I love the sea foam green walls, the marble countertops, the farmhouse sink and that ceiling! Look at that ceiling! So cute!!

After reading this, try and guess what elements from these photos that I’ll incorporate in our little kitchen “makeover.” What do you think we’ll include? Which kitchen from this group is your favorite?

Before & After: Bathroom Mirror (Plus Giveaway!)

Posted on January 20, 2013 by thesavvyseeker

Hey ya’ll! I know, I know…I’ve been a bad blogger! I missed a week (had some technical difficulties!) and that was pretty bad considering that I’ve been dangling a fun giveaway from my last post. Well, before I get to the giveaway, I wanted to give an update on our fun and funky retro bathroom!

I’m still on the hunt for the perfect mirror!

Remember when our bathroom went from early 60′s funk to a clean and timeless face-lift? After the big reveal, I received some comments about our antique mirror. People were NOT digging the oak framed mirror with our 20′s inspired, black and white bathroom. Needless to say, ya’ll gave me a new mission…to find the perfect mirror to compliment our new look.

At first, I started looking at places like Lowes, Home Depot and HomeGoods for a frameless mirror on a pivot, like this one:

Moen Glenshire pivot mirror from Home Depot…

Problem was, the dimensions were all wrong…and most of these mirrors are around 24″-26″ tall, which wouldn’t have worked with our light fixture. I really liked the way it looked in Dorie’s bathroom from Tuesdays with Dorie:

I love Dorie’s bathroom in her bungalow…but this mirror would have been too large for my small bathroom…oh well:(

So I was back on the hunt…but this time, for something vintage. Luckily, I didn’t have to go that far. I live about 4 miles from a cute antique shop and when I went in I found…not only ONE vintage frameless mirror from the 1920′s …but TWO! And I had a gift card:) Lucky day!

A perfect fit!! And no more oak frame…this one is frameless baby!

The smaller mirror has scalloped edges…so cute and feminine.

And to make the room complete, we hired A & J Resurfacing to give our old cast iron tub a much needed makeover! The tub wasn’t in horrible shape before, but was very dull and dingy from 40-some years of use. And we couldn’t be happier with the results! It looks like a brand new tub!

Isn’t she lovely? Now where’s my champagne and bubble bath?

Okay, so enough about the bathroom! How about entering for a fun freebie? To celebrate my one year Blog-Birthday, I’ve crafted a one of a kind wool and homespun penny-rug heart to show my love and appreciation to all of my lovely readers (this means you!). Hang it on a door knob, a windowsill or display it on your favorite antique bookcase!

All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me what treasure you’re on the hunt for in 2013! That’s it! One lucky winner will be selected at random on Friday, January 25th at 8pm. (Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada, no purchase necessary to enter, duplicate entries will be deleted and one entry per email address only). The winner will be announced on next week’s post, so check back! Good luck!

Before and After: The Princess Bedroom Part II

Posted on October 22, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

If you tuned in last week, you heard my cry, my desire, my NEED to have a bedroom fit for a Princess. One that would earn the approval Princess Buttercup or shall I dare say, Princess Kate??

See, they look happy don’t they? That’s because they have a Princess bedroom…pretty, comfy and quiet.

In case you were wondering, why I wanted a bedroom makeover so badly, here is the reason.

Plain, un-inspiring and just sad…the “before” bedroom…

All the basic elements were there…a bed, a dresser, a lamp, a window. Blah. But definitely NOT a place that would welcome royalty. So where did I start? With the paint color.

I wanted something soothing…something calm. I’ve never been a fan of blue bedrooms before but all of the major paint manufacturers have done a really nice job revamping and releasing new colors in the past few years. After painting the walls during our bathroom renovation, I really enjoyed how the turquoise walls turned out. I thought I’d try something similar in our bedroom, but much softer. And I found some great inspiration from the monochromatic color schemes in the photos from my last blog post.

Sherwin-Williams

I was afraid that the color might be a little too dark but once it was up on the walls, I was pleasantly surprised at how much it lifted the room. Other finishing touches included bright white enamel paint for all of the trim, white faux wood blinds, new drapes, three new interior doors and new door hardware in an antique bronze finish. Here are the results:

I LOVE the color on the walls! And Sherwin-Williams Super Paint is soooo amazing, it actually only took ONE COAT to cover up the old color!! The beautiful painting above the bed is by my dear friend Steven Walker. Steven and I went through the Illustration/Communication Arts program together at VCU and I have had the honor of watching his artwork evolve over the years. He is an amazing landscape artist. We are lucky enough to have several of his paintings throughout our home. The sweet antique french side table was a lucky find in Charlotte, N.C. at Metrolina.

This cute little empire chest was a purchase in Bowling Green, VA at Stone Creek Antiques. I have several antique alabaster lamps with linen shades, as you’ll see in these photos. This lamp shade came from the Shades of Light outlet store. The adorable mirror is English and from around 1920.

This cute side table was a Craigslist find for $20. A little Annie Sloan chalk paint in Old White and BAM! Good as new! I love this alabaster lamp…and the burlap shade came from Shades of Light. The small antique folk painting was a great find while traveling last year…it has sweet little pansies and butterflies depicted in it.

This large empire dresser was amazing find while traveling to Lynchburg, VA. I couldn’t tell you the name of the town…it was one of those random weekend driving trips where we found it. This was the first piece of furniture my husband and I bought together. I love the dark veneer and the chunky shape. Just a great classic piece that could go in any room. A primitive box and petite alabaster lamp sit on top. The lattice pattern drapes are Allen and Roth from Lowes.

I may not be a Princess, but this room definitely makes me feel like one every time I step inside! I couldn’t be happier with how it all came together. Now all I need is a sign to hang on the bedroom door that says “No screaming, soiled or unhappy people/children/pets allowed.” Maybe that will be my next craft project!

Let me know what you think! Do you have a Princess room in your home? If so, tell me about it!

Before and After: The Princess Bedroom

Posted on October 17, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Have you ever wanted a Princess bedroom? By this, I do not mean a hot pink bedroom with a white canopy bed and Cinderella themed sheets. I mean a special bedroom retreat, a relaxing refuge from the busy day, a place fit for, well…a Princess!

I bet Princess ButterCup, from the movie The Princess Bride, got herself a pretty nice bedroom once she married Prince Wesley! As you wish!

In a Princess bedroom there are probably rules too…like the following:

Children are not allowed to burst the door open, jump on the bed after running around barefoot outside, make flatulent noises or spill bright colored beverages.
There is absolutely no talk of bills, errands to run or upcoming school/extra-curricular events.
There are no clocks, no alarms and no electronic devices that can create an annoying sound.
Household pets will never shed a hair, leave a dirty paw print or any other unpleasant treat to be discovered only when you step in it, at 3 a.m., in the dark.
Clothes will put themselves away in the closet and the dresser.
The bed will always be made. Always.
And most importantly, a Princess bedroom will NOT look like this:

Whoa. Your bedroom should NOT make you feel like this. Photo: http://bedroomdisaster.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html

This is the kind of bedroom I have wanted for a long time. For four years to be exact (that’s when we purchased our older home). It’s now time to make this dream a reality. While I can’t make the clothes put themselves away, I can get rid of the crap-tastic aluminum blinds and the wobbly ceiling fan. I can create an oasis of peace and calm with furniture and paint, but what I need first is a little inspiration:

Love the mirror…

A nice take on a canopy…

I’m starting to sense a monochromatic color scheme…

Love the incorporated Victorian furniture…

And yardlong photos!!! I have a nice collection of those at home…

Does this not look like the most peaceful bedroom ever?

A room with a few french inspired pieces?

More frenchy goodness! If those prints don’t scream Princess Room…I don’t know what does…

Well, there you have it! A few photos I’ve saved that have inspired me to tackle the Master Bedroom Before-N’-After. Stay tuned for some reveals and let me know what you think of these bedrooms!!

Before & After: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Dresser

Posted on September 17, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

When people ask me what the overall style of my home decor is, I typically say “rustic farmhouse,” though I’m not sure that is a real style or one that only exists in my mind. As an artist and designer, I appreciate all interior styles which sometimes can mean that my house looks as if it is having an identity crisis. I always tell folks that I buy what I like and then make it work within the room. It could be the clean lines of a cupboard or the rusty color on an old sign that inspires the entire look of a room. Overall, I just make sure that my house is inspiring and functional!

A sneak peek at my living room…built in bookcases with ironstone collection and decorating books!

My guest bedroom is probably the most feminine room in the entire house. Inspired by english cottages, the room’s color scheme is made up of soft colors such as rose, green and cream. It’s a nice sized room with lots of natural light.

Skynryd said it best…”Ooh that smell, can’t you smell that smell?” It may not smell like death, but it stinks…

When we bought our home, my mom generously gave us a beautiful antique oak dresser. I loved the overall shape of this piece, especially the bevelled mirror. The only probably is that it gave off a musty smell that I just couldn’t get rid of. What to do?

I hoard, um…I mean…I LOVE decorating books. After flipping through some french and english design books, I thought that this piece would look beautiful painted. I loved the way my step back cupboard turned out once I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, so decided to give it another go. Plus, by covering the entire dresser in a few layers of paint, the faint musty smell would be gone forever!

Here are some photos that I found for inspiration:

Pretty pink victorian room from housetohome.co.uk

Creative french typographic treatment on this antique dresser by ThePurplePaintedLady.com

Very cute painted dresser from VintageChicFurniture.com

I’ve always loved this painted dresser from Miss Mustard Seed, who now has her own line of milk paints.

So I pulled out my drop cloths, paint brushes, and old pocket radio and got to work! I’ve used all kinds of paints on furniture and I do still love the Annie Sloan chalk paint. It’s so easy to work with. You can water it down or build it up to create texture. The color palette is beautiful and offers a nice variety to choose from. The only thing I hate is the expensive price tag…$39 + $15 for shipping. And you really should seal it once painted with a nice thin coat of wax, to avoid flaking.

Here’s the after: a charming painted dresser.

I decided to go simple. No faux distressing, no glazing…just a crisp, cream colored antique dresser. I love the way it turned out. Not only does it have a softer appearance, but it really brightens up the room. Now if I could only find an old primitive bench to put at the foot of the bed….

Tell me what you think? Do you like the “before” or “after”? Have you used used Annie Sloan’s paint?

Before & After: My Bathroom

Posted on May 1, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Some renovation projects are simple and some are messy. Some take a few days and some take a few weeks (or months!). Whatever your renovation project is, it’s always going to be a learning experience. Hopefully in the end, your new space is exactly what you imagined it to be…wonderful!

This is a tale of our upstairs family bathroom…which had floor tile reminiscent of the disco floor in the film Saturday Night Fever.

Not a good choice for a bathroom floor!

Neither of our two bathrooms had been updated since 1963. If the bathrooms had evoked a sense of “Mad Men” cool, mod style…then I probably would have been okay to keep them as is. What I was not cool with was when the floor tile started coming up and strange plumbing issues arose. It was time to break out the sledgehammer…

Houston, We Have a Problem

Those are words you do not want to hear from your contractor or your plumber. Ever. But once you start undressing your rooms to their bare bones, there’s no telling what’s behind the old tile and plaster. Fortunately, we did not have any mold or any real dangers. What we did have was some funky plumbing and some old pipes that had almost rotted through.

Other minor issues we ran into most came from measurements. The homeowner who is the worst with math…should not hold the ruler! For example, the Kohler toilet we purchased was too large because we have baseboard heat that runs behind the toilet. There was a bit of a last minute scramble to find a smaller toilet that would work with historic homes that have old baseboard heating.

The "before" shot...disco floor pink/peachy walls...

The famous hand sawed countertop...notice the crooked edge on the far right.

Another thing to note…if you only have one bathtub in your home and you are planning on updating the shower head and faucet combo, you must have a uni-lever system instead of two handles to control the temperature of your water. This prevents scolding and keeps your bathroom up to current building codes. I special ordered a very cool dual porcelain handle shower system and then had to quickly return it once my plumber dropped some knowledge on me.

The pipe on the far left should have been on center wall, for the pedestal sink.

Shower faucet plumbing being converted for the uni-lever system.

The New Room

Isn't she lovely?

After the renovation dust settled, we were left with our dream bathroom. After the Mr. and I looked at a lot of sources for inspiration we opted for a very classic design, creating a bathroom that was simple, functional and timeless. I love white subway tile and I especially love the small accented stripe across the room. By keeping things simple, I’ll be able to switch the wall color or bathroom accessories down the road without breaking the bank. Bungalows from the 1920’s and 1930’s especially inspire me and this bathroom scheme can often be found in both. Here’s a breakdown of what was added and changed:

Kohler pedestal sink (Craigslist.com find for a cool $60)
Delta sink and shower faucets with white porcelain handles (handles are ordered separately…check with your Delta fixture dealer for details)
New low-flow toilet
Delta light fixture with frosted glass pendants
New exhaust fan system with overhead light to suck out all of that nasty humidity!
White subway tile and classic black and white floor tile (Home Depot)
Monogramed burlap shower curtain with fringe (BallardDesigns.com)
Antique hooser style cabinet with white and black enamel top (Craigslist.com find for $40!!)

What a nice way to wake up every morning!

The only thing that we kept was the tub. It’s big, it’s old and it’s heavy. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with it, so why get rid of it? I prefer the old cast iron tubs to the newer plastic ones anyway…so eventually this baby will probably get a small facelift by getting glazed.

Baby Got Bagster

The smartest thing we did with this renovation was utilize Bagster, the “dumpster in a bag.” Pick up a Bagster for a cool $40 or so at any big box home store, fill it with up to 3,300 lbs of unwanted junk and then call the 1-800 number to schedule a pick up for about $100. Hands down, the best thing we did during this project. It was so easy, convenient and cost effective, so I highly recommend it!

Vintage enamel cabinet...fabulous craigslist find!

Stay tuned for more bathroom-makeover-bonanza in the upcoming weeks – for part II of this story! And don’t be shy! Tell me what you think so far! Do you have a great old home bathroom re-do story of your own? Tell us about it!

Note: Quick shout out to our friend and tile guru, Rob Whybrow! You did a fantastic job! Thank you Rob!

ATTENTION D.C. Antique lovers! The DC Big Flea Market is this upcoming weekend, May 5th-6th at the Dulles Expo Center, in Chantilly, VA. Admission is $8. Learn more about it at www.damorepromotions.com.

Check out more before-and-after projects at Beneath My Heart.

Bathroom Inspiration

Posted on April 23, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

I’m sure many of you have noticed in the past few weeks that I have not been blogging as much as usually do. I won’t lie…it’s definitely been a challenge lately to find the balance between work, family, blogging and last but not least, home renovations. Yes, I said it, home renovations. And not just lipstick and rouge home renovations…I’m talking sledge hammer, nail guns, grout and a whole lotta dust kind of renovations.

When we purchased our early 1960’s brick colonial almost 4 years ago, we knew the bathrooms were going to be challenge. The half bath downstairs had speckled gold and turquoise tile on the walls and the floor…which were slowly starting to come loose. The main bathroom with a shower and tub, which is located on the second floor, was wall-to-wall peach and tan tile. The showstopper was the Formica vanity countertop sink that had been hand sawed in half to only cover the sink. Nice, huh? I can remember the look on the Mr.’s face when he saw it because he knew then that it was going to be a big project…and I think my usual response went something like this, “Just think of it honey, we can make it anything we want it to be.” (Insert wink and smile here).

But before you start any home project, you have to start with an idea. Luckily for Jon and I, we are fans of older homes and antiques, so we usually opt for things with a nostalgic touch. I can remember combing the web for photos for inspiration. There’s so much to select from these days and what era would be our inspiration? Would we opt the cool look of a mod 50’s bathroom or a cozy 1920’s bungalow vibe? Luckily, there are lots of folks who are also producing affordable reproduction fixtures these days, so buying supplies to pull off these kinds of looks can be a cinch.

So before I share our “before” and “after” of our bathroom redos, I thought I’d share with you some photos that served as inspiration.

Better Homes & Gardens had some great shots of Cottage-Style Bathrooms. Here were a few of my favorites:

Beadboard or no beadboard...that is the question!

LOVE the floors, love the buttery yellow walls!

But then again, should I keep the early 60′s vibe alive in my house? Nah…this ain’t the Brady Bunch!

Hello Barbie! How about a hot pink sink?

How about sea foam green and nautical fixtures?

How about a coastal theme with ocean inspired colors?

I do like farmhouses and Barn House Electric and Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. make some amazing reproduction light fixtures!

Cool retro lighting from Barn Light Electric.

LOVE this light from Schoolhouse Electric

I could keep it cool and classic with lots of fresh white and classic tile.

French inspired bathroom via House Beautiful.

Something classic perhaps?

Or I could find inspiration in other historic homes…

Clawfoot bathtub from the Biltmore Mansion.

Hardwood floors in the Governor's Mansion in Sacramento, CA.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite bathroom style? Tune in next time for the BIG REVEAL!

Before & After: My Dining Room

Posted on February 22, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

When the Mr. and I purchased our home about 3.5 years ago, the dining room was the first room in the entire house that was entirely livable. The 1960’s pink shag carpeting had been pulled out to reveal the original oak hardwood floors underneath and the walls were repaired and painted a tomato-soup kind of color (the photos make the walls look kind of orange). We found an adorable vintage French crystal chandelier on Ebay for a song and shortly after the rest of furniture came into place, one piece at a time.

The chaos in all it's glory!

Most of the room’s furniture was comprised of hand-me-down pieces from my mother, including an antique oak sideboard (which I remember going to purchase with her in Northern VA when I was a youngster) and an oak pedestal table with ladder-back chairs.

As time went by, we found ourselves mostly eating and entertaining in our kitchen, so the dining room slowly became a storage space and recording area for the Mr.’s music demos and commercial jingles. Looks pretty sad, huh?? I’m almost embarrassed to show you guys these before photos… Shhh…if you listen closely, you hear some of the furniture from underneath the bubble wrap and boxes…saying “Help me, help me!”

Is this a place to eat or a place to store junk? I'm confused...

There is a season, turn, turn, turn…

Can I just say that I absolutely hate February? Can we say season depression? I LOVE warm weather, so I find being stuck in side during the blah winter months a total drag. There are only so many craft projects one woman can handle before her fingers become raw from using a hot glue gun or sewing needles!

Looking for some other kind of project to focus on that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, I turned to the lonely dining room. I decided to repaint the top portion of the walls with Behr’s Organic Fields green (paint and primer in one folks – these red walls only took TWO COATS!!) and paint the bottom half white (to later include some lovely picture frame molding). The windows received new woven pull shades and I hung two large vintage black shutters on either side (which I do not have a photo of – but will try to post one later). I swapped rugs from another room in the house – took out a Persian rug and opted for a natural jute style rug with brown border. And the chairs…they definitely needed a refresh!

Ahhhh....much better! No more microphones and cables...

Painted Black Chairs

I love Annie Sloan’s chalk paint. It’s so unbelievably easy to use. However, I wanted a true black paint for these chairs and from what I read about Annie Sloan’s Graphite colored paint, it seemed to have more of a blue-ish undertone. So what did I do? I asked a few experts. Marion from Miss Mustard Seed recommended Sherwin Williams’ black satin enamel and Elizabeth from The Adventures of Elizabeth recommended Black Ink by Behr. Both talented ladies also recommended using a thin coat of satin poly to top it off to prevent smudging. (Thanks ladies for your help!!) I love the way the chairs turned out, even though it took one coat of tinted primer and two coats of black paint…not an easy task!

A cute antique cutlery tray that I found in Brandywine, PA

I purchased this adorable antique cutlery tray from one of my favorite places to visit in Brandywine, PA…Brandywine View Antiques. If you’re ever in the area, you MUST stop by this historic home-turned-shop. It’s a huge white Victorian-era house that sits high on a hilltop and usually has a huge array of antique and primitive furniture scattered all around on its wrap around porch.

My mom's old antique sideboard with my little mission rocking chair...

This is the antique oak sideboard that was one of the earliest antique pieces that my mother every purchased. I have always loved this sideboard; even oak pieces like this are not in high demand right now. Its overall condition is amazing and the natural wood grain is beautiful…which is why I’ve never painted it. The small antique arts and crafts rocking chair was a yard sale find and came out of a family owned restaurant in the Blacksburg, VA area and is one of my favorite chairs. The down pillow is made from an antique French grain sack that I have sewn and is one of many that can be found scattered around my home. I don’t know if anyone else would pair a French grain sack with mission style furniture, but I find their simplicity to compliment one another.

A silver champagne bucket with ironstone on an antique serving tray...

Happy Anniversary

The Mr. and I have never been into large anniversary presents. However, on our first anniversary, the Mr. surprised me with this small Eastlake chest of drawers. He found it at a consignment shop for $30, covered in dust and filth and buried under a pile of other small objects for sale. After we spent two days scraping the dirt off of her, we found this beautiful chocolate toned wood underneath! She lost her matching mirror a long time ago, but her skirted detail at the bottom is precious!! I had to replace her hardware with period correct pulls…but I HATE the brass finish…so if any of you DIYers out there have a tip for aging the brass finish, let me know!! The urns and the 1930’s framed lithograph came out of an estate sale.

An antique eastlake dresser with vintage cast iron urns...

So now, I have my dining room back and the furniture can breathe easy now that it’s de-cluttered. It’s a win-win situation…though the Mr. may not think so since he’s got to find another place for his music and recording gear!

Tell me what you think or if you have a great room re-do, let me know!

Check out some other before and afters here: Between Naps on the Porch!