This month marks 3 years of living in our house in Germantown. We love it more today than we ever have. Raising our girl here has been such a blessing. The location and the neighbors are better than we ever could have imagined. These people love our daughter and we're so spoiled by them. Plus so many little lady friends around for her to grow up with! We had our last house (that we also loved for different reasons) on the market for a while. During that time we saw new houses we liked come and go. I was discouraged. We wanted to move into a more family-friendly area with more space and get settled there (for me that meant a little construction and a whole lot of painting which I knew would take a while) then start a family right away. So every month that went by with no one interested in our house was another month of pushing back something that we were longing for greatly. This house became available right when it was time for us to buy at a great price and we continue to be so thankful that God was saving it specifically for us. His timing is perfect even if we might not recognize it in the present. Even when we're frustrated that things aren't happening at the rate we'd like them to happen. Then right on time He gave us Presley who is the greatest little person in the world (not biased) and we are just so blessed. I'm so horribly impatient and I hate waiting but knowing that everything happens exactly when it's supposed to is the most comforting thing in the world. He is sovereign and He is so so good. He has blessed our family immensely and we are so thankful.
So speaking of longing, at the beginning of every year I feel this longing/deep desire to redecorate my house. Not everything. Just some things. Is this a legitimate new years resolution (every year) or is this a mental disorder? Isn't the first step admitting you have a problem? IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME??
Now that we've determined that I most likely do have a legitimate problem we can discuss what brought this on. First off, our bedroom.
I think this is our 3rd bedroom makeover. If you spread it out over the 3 years we've been here it doesn't sound as bad, right? One makeover a year? Ok fine. It's alot of makeovers.
See?? It didn't change too much between the first and second makeover. BUT this last one has been pretty drastic. I love it though! I love it most! I'm obsessed. This is what I've been holding out for! I was finally inspired and went in a whole different direction from my previous ones. Before I was feeling this deep connection with orange for some reason. I got to a point, however, where I felt like it was necessary to break up with it once and for all. It was weighing me down. It was holding me back. Orange? Don't get me wrong. It's a nice color. But it just wasn't me. Maybe it was at some point but I've moved on. I've changed. I'm a new woman in 2017. My orangey bedroom and I are never getting back together. Like ever.
I haven't been truly satisfied with this room for a while but what really sealed its fate was one morning a few weeks ago when Matt woke up with yet another scratch on his hand. I loved how rustic our headboard was. My dad did a beautiful job hand-crafting exactly what I described to him in literally 20 minutes one day. I wanted it this way but I didn't think through it. The wood was rough and if you weren't careful you could scrape yourself if you unconsciously flail your hands in your sleep. Which apparently we both have issues with (???). And how can you be careful if you're unconscious? That's like asking me to refrain from singing Hakuna Matata every time I see a meercat at the zoo. It's a natural impulse that one simply cannot simply control. There were not enough bandaids to heal our broken hearts (or hands). The time had come for me to deal with the situation literally at [our] hand[s]. With me, however, one doesn't simply change something. The headboard situation led to an entire room breakdown and before I knew it I had gone totally Oppa Katie Style and wiped it out to start over. Then my bedroom and I exchanged some words. I sang to it:
"All I know is you held the door
You'll be mine and I'll be yours
All I know since yesterday is everything has changed."
We were getting back together.
I don't feel like one (or maybe just me) can simply move into a house and immediately know what needs to happen there. Like be immediately inspired and stick with it. It takes time. Patience. Moving things around. Finding your unique style. Being inspired by situations and people around you. By other people's unique styles. By places you visit and sites you see. Sounds you hear. Textures you feel. Sometimes the inspiration comes from many different places and maybe even happen over a few years. Eventually you'll find that style that's uniquely yours. Everyone has their own flair. Embrace your flair. Be your flair. I FOUND MY FLAIR, GUYS! It took 3 years but I finally love it. And all sans the orange.
It's neutral. It's cozy. I never want to leave.
Here's what I changed:
Headboard makeover
Pillows
Bed blanket
Bedskirt
Lamps
Most of collage wall
Curtains
Doesn't seem like alot but it made a huge difference. And one of the best parts? Thank you, Jesus, for Facebook resale sites because I made back so much money making these little changes super affordable. For example, I sold my old curtains online for $20 and got these new ones at Tuesday Morning for $30 (including both panels). The way I see it that makeover only cost me $10 out of pocket! I sold everything I changed out and used that money to buy new things!
Lets start with the headboard. The way it was made there were 2 "columns" on the sides that were connected by the big middle piece. The columns weren't flush with the middle piece. It sunk in a few inches. If I were to cover it in fabric it would need to be flush all the way across. This would require basically taking the whole thing apart and putting it back together a little differently. I texted my little brother (who is a brilliant wood worker) and we discussed some options. I was like "Thanks, Bro. I'll try this during naptime tomorrow." He was like "LOL okay Katie." Like I had no idea what I was doing and it was never actually going to happen. He was right about one thing. I literally had NO idea what I was doing. But by the grace of our good Lord it happened. And all during naptime.
Here's what I'm talking about:
I took my headboard in the attic and started beating it with a hammer. Nothing was happening. I started walking all over it and the boards started coming apart one by one. My plan was working. And by plan I mean I had no plan I was just originally beating it with a hammer and I accidentally stepped on it and a board popped out (which is what I was trying to accomplish). The headboard was disassembled. I took a moment to mourn its loss but then rejoice because it was being made new. Its beauty was being transformed into a more functional, less tear- and blood-inducing beauty which was far more exciting (insert spiritually-renewing metaphor here). THANK YOU JESUS THAT YOU HAVE MADE US NEW!
I obtained my drill and continued on not having any idea what I was doing. I somehow managed to screw the wood back together in the semi-correct place. It's not perfect but, in the words of my great grandmother Reba, "WHO CARES!" All of the wood in the front is now flush so all one depth. I covered it in 3 layers of padding (making up for lost time here, people) and then fabric with my staple gun. I got the padding at Joann in a 10 yard roll for about $20. The fabric was from Premier Fabrics in Germantown (obsessed) for only $8 a yard (it was on sale for $2 off/yard). I got 3 yards. This headboard from start to finish cost less than $50. My dad originally made it out of scrap wood he already had. All I had to actually pay for was the padding and fabric (and screws and staples that I already had if you want to count that).
Here are some super-creepy attic/Katie's headboard workshop pics:
I tried to *nicely* and then forcefully (didn't work) ask my dog to please get out of my picture but she insisted on Vogue-ing for all of them. But then I was like, fancy decorating magazines often have some majestic creature lounging in their scenes so I decided that Elphie was to be my fancy, majestic creature. She's not a $10,000 pure-bred poodle who speaks fluent French like I'm sure the Southern Living ones do but she did poop in my house this week. My daughter (who was lucky enough to find it first) proudly presented me with said poo saying "poop poop." She calls everything "poop." I took it in my hand without looking (it's a daily occurrence that she hands me something saying "poop"). I was overcome by a scent that only Satan himself could've produced. I reluctantly glace at my hand. Staring back at me was what nightmares are made of. The worst possible scenario had become a reality. A steamy dog turd. She was right. It was actually poop. I was proud and horrified all at once. But that's motherhood, amiright? And everyone poops, right? My Shih Tzu can still be considered fancy and majestic, right? SHE'S MAJESTIC OKAY! Thanks for making me fancy, Elph. Or as Presley likes to call her, "ALF." Which is clearly just the fanciest name in the world. I feel like all of those fancy poodles are named something like Lady Tremaine. Or Alyssa. Or Lord Farquad. Or Adele Dazeem. Or maybe just Benedict Cumberbatch. All spoken ONLY in an English accent. I digress.
And here is my headboard in all of its poofy, non-rigid beauty.
I wasn't into the idea of spending $25-50 a pillow so I made my own! I got the euro pillow forms as well as the forms for the 2 square ones in the center (that were actually for chair cushions not pillows) from IKEA for super cheap. The euros were $10 and the cushion ones were $4. WHAT A DEAL! I got a new linen bedskirt from Amazon for Christmas and wanted to incorporate that into my pillows. I bought the linen fabric at Joann for $16 total and made them myself. Super easy if you can sew a straight line. I got the fabric for the middle square pillows at Premier Fabrics again. One yard was on sale for $8 and that's all I needed for the 2. It's the same color family as the headboard fabric so I liked how it was similar and matched but still a nice contrast. The center blue pillow came from Stein Mart and matched so well I had to splurge and pay $20 for it. I already had the white bedding (I think originally from Overstock.com) and the polka dot pillows (originally from Etsy). The new throw blanket came from Home Goods ($20).
The cute glass lamps came from Home Goods and were only $30 each. I had a giftcard from Christmas so that was awesome. Plus I sold my old lamps on the FB resale site for $40 so logically I can say the lamp update was only $20, right? RIGHT?
I got the frames above the bed from Home Goods for $12 each earlier in the summer. I'm obsessed with the middle print I just bought from Printable Wisdom on Etsy. I love her stuff. I have it all over my house. Check it out!
I updated my collage wall a bit with inspirational wooden blocks (naturally) from Ross and Marshalls and embroidery hoops and more Printable Wisdom. And another "H" from Hobby Lobby just in case someone comes in our room and is like "BUT WHAT IS THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR LAST NAME?"
I love my $30 Tuesday Morning curtains. They were so long so I had to hem them but they're so pretty and made with a linen blend which perfectly fit into my linen-esque vibe.
And here are the things I didn't change:
I love this shutter photo display I found on the side of the road while taking Pres Pres on a walk in my hood. I have another one in my entry hall. See my post here for more details on that.
I got a new shower curtain for my bathroom a few months ago. I came across this one at Target and it matched so perfectly I couldn't resist it. I swapped out the orange fabric in the frames with some leftover fabric from my headboard. Super easy fix.
I'm so happy with how our bedroom finally turned out. It only took 3 years.
Another thing I felt a calling to redo a bit was my dining room. Last January I completely redid my dining room. Like painted the walls, furniture, etc. I still love most of it but wanted to change just a few things.
I loved the previous fabric (that was only a year old) on the chairs but the blue clashed a little with the blue walls and I never found the inspiration to bring more yellow into the room like I thought I would. I went to Premier Fabrics (duh) and fell in love with this new fabric. I brought home a swatch and we made an instant connection. It serenaded me with a love song and I was hooked. Decision made.
Changing out chair fabric is so easy. Just unscrew the cushions from the chair, staple the new fabric to the bottoms, then screw them back onto the chair. It took maybe 45 minutes from start to finish. I ended up selling the old fabric on FB resale for $10. The new fabric was $16 so this change was technically only $6! I only needed 2 yards to cover 6 bottoms.
Old:
New:
Last year I also made a plate wall. The floral and colored plates never looked quite right. I just traded them out with white ones. I kept the 2 beige ones from Target because they still matched. You can find plain white plates everywhere. I got most of mine in the clearance section of Tuesday Morning as well as Home Goods and Target. I love the different patterns and shades of white. It makes it interesting but still neutral. Now I'm looking for any excuse to eat a meal in here. And you thought plates were just for eating on...shame.
Old:
New:
So those were my main focuses. BUT! My dad bought us a beautiful new front door for Christmas and I'm so excited to get it installed. It'll totally change the look of our house and entry hall. I'll post pics of that soon.
Also, I've been continuously working on Presley's playroom/future big girl room for a while now. Like every other room in my house it's always changing and evolving. It's finally really coming together. Plus I bought an adorable light fixture from Ikea that I can't wait to install. Pics of that to come as well!
But until then, my baby turns TWO in 10 days and we're going all out with a kitty cat party. She's so excited and of course I've been planning this for 6 months don't judge me so I think I'm MOST excited. I've already started setting up decor and I just can't wait. Of course there will be a post to come. I can't wait to share in a few weeks!
As always, if you've made it this far thanks so much for reading and HAPPY 2017 ERREBODY!
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