Oliver's Room Inspiration

Over the summer I hope to finish Oliver's room.  It needs repainted and I'm starting with the ceiling.  Which I am super excited to paint, I compare it to having my nails pulled out.  Woohoo.

Anyway, pretty pictures from pinterest:

Color:

Buffalo Check Curtains:

oh ryan, you cheeky bastard.... ;)

Cow Rug:

Furniture:

Accessories:

all of these images brought to you by the letter P and oliver's room pinterest board

and if it strikes your fancy, follow me on pinterest

xoxo

repairing worn leather with shoe polish

We have those puffy leather recliner on both ends matching set of couches.  I dislike them.  I don't hate or loathe them, but given the money/opportunity I would go with something completely different.  We bought them brand new 6 years ago and they were 1000% better than the crap we had.  Two moves and 4 kids worth of wear and sippy cup spills, they are holding up just fine.  If they would die I could get new, but whateves.

The only thing wrong with them is a few nics hear and there from being shoved through doorways and some regular wear, nothing a brown sharpie can't fix.....yep you read that right.  I take a brown Sharpie to my couch for small touch ups.

 One spot in particular was looking extremely scratched and ratty. I couldn't Sharpie that one or it would look like Audrey drew all over the couch.  The ratty spot might be my seat, I'm not as bad a Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, but it's my seat. My seat.  Anyhow, after Audrey and Oliver were born it's where I slept with them, nursed them, changed them.   I always sit cross legged for most of this...it was wearing the leather.  Plus, Harley the Super Border Collie sleeps there at night.  She is sometimes covered in sand and then rolls on the couch, essentially sandpapering my spot on the couch.

Before:

Cripes that looks like shiz.

I decided to try some brown shoe polish to disguise the worn spots.  I picked it up in the shoe department of Wal-Mart.

After:

I just followed the directions on the back of the can.  I wiped it on with a soft rag, let it sit for a bit and polished it until the rag still looked clean.  I didn't want brown all over our clothes.  At first it was sort of sticky and smelled weird.  That goes away.  It is considerably less obvious and a cheap fix until we get new furniture....after our children quit getting ours gross.  I know, you probably don't let you kids drink in the living room....I don't either.  But, those little twerps sneak it in!! 

xoxo

Rugs: A story of a kick ass deal!

I have been lusting after this rug for like eva!

Sometimes, I click on the link and stare at it.  Then last night, I am stalking the rug...it was 65% off for memorial day and I bought the 5x7 for $91.70!!!  Plus, I got this rug for $38.85, it's 5'3 x 7'9!!  That one's for the girls' room!

They are still on sale for the 65% off, plus they have a ton of other fabulous rugs for that discount!!

xoxo

thrift store score: giant lantern

sometimes when you go to a thrift store or the g-dub (goodwill) you find nothing.  other times you score big, like when i scored these chairs.

this is a score story.  i sold some crap off craigslist and was meeting the lady to deliver it and also had 6 trash bags of donate.  yes, i said 6 and no that isn't even half of what needed to go....that's all i had room for in the car.  anywho, the g-dub i usually go to was way across town so i stopped by a salvation army and dumped my stuff there.  i wasn't going to go in, but audrey and oliver were being good, so in we went.  i was walking around, got some random goodies.  i always go through the toys, baby clothes, picture frames and household stuff.

i walk by the furniture, some decent, nothing saying "kari take me home, stick me in your garage and pretend you have the time to redo me!"  then i saw it over by the lamps....a huge freaking lantern.

it's 30 inches tall and 17 inches wide!!  i swear it weighs like 15 pounds!
it's going to be red and hang over my kitchen island.  i hope to have it done in a week or so!

now some inspiring lantern pictures.....

images via pinterest

xoxo

Black Laundry Room/ Pantry Reveal

Do you ever have a space that you can't find exactly what to do with it?  This was that space.  It's just the laundry room/pantry, but I see it all day sometimes.  You can see it as soon as you walk in the house and the pantry doors are always open, unless we are entertaining and they start out closed and end up open for the trash and recycle bins.  It needed to be a calm lovely space.

I looked at a billion pictures, I swear.  I pinned and searched and couldn't decide what to do.  Two and a half years later...still nasty.  Until, I came across this post by Dana at House Tweaking. She painted her laundry room/ dining area Besalt by Ace Hardware.  It is stunning....seriously if you haven't clicked that link, go now.  I'll wait................................ fan-freaking-tastic, right?!?!?  Her whole house is stunning and we have very similar taste.  Like I might want to attempt to copy her house, er I mean draw inspiration from her!

Okay, I'll get to the pictures now.

real life people....maybe I should have picked up a little, but whatevs.

Last before pic I swear...I'm getting to the goods.
Gaggy vinyl floor and old yellowed paint.

New floor is the same flooring that is in the newly redone entryway...which has been changed since I blogged it last week.  The kids kept smashing their fingers in the cedar chest to get out their shoes.  Later on that.

The white washer and dryer don't even bother me anymore.  I do want new one's but these do the job and when presented with the opportunity to buy new one's I would rather use the money for other projects!

I painted over the electrical box because it was a giant eye sore and you hardly notice it now!!:)

what's that above the red frame...why it's a gold fish! :)

irony the opposite of wrinkly...haha laundry humor

Color: Besalt by Ace Hardware

Trim: Glidden Marshmallow White

White lidded containers are from Wal-Mart
Red Dust Pan is from Crate and Barrel's new clean slate line.

xoxo

SUNDAY: The DIY Showoff 

 MONDAY: Thrifty Decor Chick, Dittle Dattle,Between Naps On the Porch, Homemaker on a Dime
TUESDAY: Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Strictly Homemade
WEDNESDAY: Not Just A Housewife Sugar and Dots The Mommy Club  
THURSDAY:My Repurposed Life. House of Hepworths, Beyond The Picket Fence, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Somewhat Simple 
FRIDAY: Fingerprints on the Fridge, Miss Mustard Seed, Remodelaholic, Chic on a Shoestring,  Shabby Nest
SATURDAY: Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello 

Two-Tone Kitchen Cabinet Inspiration

I am planning to paint our kitchen cabinets this summer and here are some of my cabinet color choices:

Gray:

Black:

Navy:

Olive Green:

kitchen images via

Ordered a new faucet, this one doesn't come with a bunch of crappy reviews!!  

xoxo