Whew… it’s that time of week already! Last Friday fell during the end of my Seattle trip, but the most important day was still left on the itinerary—Summer Solstice. It’s a day of celebration in Seattle, complete with a parade and naked bike ride…
We dined on fancy tacos and beers and fries and gelato and pasta and champagne. It was a full day of celebration, meeting new and interesting people and embracing a new environment.
Just before sunset we headed to Kerry Park for some of the best views of the city. A majestic Mount Rainier made it’s appearance in the background. It’s really much grander in person.
I love this sweet moment I was able to capture of my cousin and her boyfriend:
I boarded an early plane home Sunday and began the two hour drive home from the airport… which turned into nearly three because I decided to pull over several times along the way for photos.
I’ve made this drive many times and admired the scenery, but there’s nothing like getting out of your element for a while (even just a week) to make you appreciate the beauty of home.
These photos are proof of how bad this horrible drought is. Can you believe how low the lake level is compared to the water line?
Let’s hope we get some at least some precipitation this winter!
Here’s one more from a shoot I did after a mini makeover we did for my cousin’s living room… her pup is the absolute sweetest! More details on this transformation to come later.
And as always, I’m loving all the new discoveries I’ve made from you tagging your weekly inspiration with #jsphotofriday! I couldn’t just pick one so here’s two that caught my eye.
My girl Melaine @mysweetsavannah can do no wrong. I must have a stone fireplace like this one day.
And something about this kitchen scene from @nestingwithgrace just speaks to me… the soft palette, the lighting, the gold accents and hello, chocolate muffins…
Thank you ladies for the inspiration, let’s keep it going for next week!
On a heavier note—I’ve never made a request like this but, if you have any extra positive energy/prayers/vibes to spare… please send them out to the universe in my direction. I need every one I can to get through these next several days/weeks. Thank you, friends.
I made it home safe from Seattle and it’s right back to work! I mentioned earlier that I was staying with my cousin and helping her update her living room there. It was a pretty hectic week with both of us having to work and make a few last minute shopping trips in Seattle traffic, but we were able to accomplish a good amount and set aside time for some fun outings as well (more photos to come Friday!)
The project I am most proud of (and excited to share with you guys) is this sofa table I built:
I say proud because I figured out a way to build it using only a drill & screws (and a basic saw to cut a few small pieces of wood!) That means 95% of you can do this too. By yourself. In one day, for $30 or less.
She had a long sofa (just over 9 feet wide) and was using an end table that was blocking part of the walkway, so I thought the perfect solution would be a long narrow table behind the sofa for more convenient storage.
I was having trouble finding a simple plan I liked online, and knew this table definitely had to be customized so I decided to come up with my own. We were also working with a budget so I wanted to do this as inexpensively as possible.
I drew a quick sketch to illustrate my idea (excuse the roughness of it):
I was envisioning a very simple, modern style table constructed using 2×2’s and a 2×12″ for the top portion. The drawing isn’t super accurate as there should be 2×2’s horizontally at the top for reinforcement (below the 2×12) but you get the idea. I knew 2x2x8′ furring strips were under $2 each and the 2x12x10‘ was only around $12, making this project about as cheap as you can get for such a large table.
This can be done a lot simpler and for even less if you plan on making a shorter table by eliminating the middle piece. I put it in there for stability, but if the table was shorter than ~6 feet or so, I’d leave it out.
Here’s what we brought back from the hardware store—a 2x12x10’ and 8 2x2x8’s. Simple stuff.
My cousin had very limited, basic tools in her garage which proved to be a challenge but fortunately we were able to borrow a neighbor’s saw to make the smaller cuts, and we had the the 2×12 cut to 9′ for us.
You’ll end up with three different sizes—the long horizontal pieces, the vertical legs, and the shorter pieces to connect the legs (these will be different depending on the size of your table).
First it’s time to assemble the rectangles! I grabbed four pieces and arranged them:
You’ll need to drill pilot holes so the wood doesn’t split—that’s a very important step especially with this type of wood that splinters easily and since the pieces are so narrow. I was able to find 3 drill bits in the garage and luckily one of them ended up working. You want it to be just a bit smaller than the width your screw.
I bought 2.5″ screws for this project which worked fine but 3″ may have been even better. First I aligned my two pieces into place and drilled my pilot hole through both. I made sure to do this towards one end of the board instead of the center, since I would have to insert another screw in the same area for the horizontal pieces and there needed to be enough room for both screws to pass through without hitting each other.
Then I applied the glue onto the end of a short piece…
After setting it back into position, the first screw went in:
I did this on each end (3 more times) until my rectangle was built:
And then built the remaining two pieces. Step 1 complete!
This is where it gets a little trickier when you’re working by yourself. You have to start balancing things and holding them into position while attaching them together with glue and screws. I had no clamps or flat surface to work on, and the drill I was using didn’t have a lot of power, and the drill bits didn’t fit the screw heads perfectly so there was some frustration involved. If I can do it under these conditions, you definitely can too!
The next step is to attach the long horizontal pieces. I propped up my rectangle and got the pieces into place, then repeated the attachment process with my pilot hole, wood glue and screw. It seemed to work fine…
But when I lifted it up to flip it over and add the other two horizontal pieces, I found they were wobbly so I had to reinforce it with a second screw. One screw works fine for the smaller lengths of wood but just doesn’t cut it for the longer pieces. And I made sure to counter sink them so that a) they’d grab a little more of the wood and b) I could fill the holes so there weren’t any visible screws.
Two screws did the trick, and I then attached the second rectangle to the opposite end.
I flipped that piece over and attached the last two horizontal pieces the same way. If you were building a smaller table, this would be your last step before adding the top and it would be pretty much the easiest project ever.
But I had the dilemma of attaching a whole other section without a Kreg Jig or anything of the sort, so I ended up buying 2″ brackets:
This part was definitely the biggest challenge of the entire project. Even with two screws holding the longer pieces together, they’re quite long so they don’t stay perfectly straight and I had to hold everything into place while keeping them elevated and drilling pilot holes, applying glue, lining up the brackets and attaching the screws.
Somehow I made it all happen. Precise measurements and cutting is a crucial step, otherwise everything may not all fit together!
Also, these furring strips aren’t perfect, but luckily dark stain goes a looong way to hide imperfections. I didn’t even have wood filler so I used drywall mud + sawdust and you can’t tell at all with the finished product.
After the brackets went on and the base of the table was finished, it was a huge relief!
The next part was easy—add some wood glue to the top:
Then lift your 2×12″ into place.
And secure it with screws from underneath. I used 8 in total.
Then it was all about the finishing touches. There was no electric sander available so I picked up some 80 grit and went over each piece by hand. Labor of love, baby.
After it was all smooth and splinter-free, I applied a dark walnut stain which coordinates nicely with the warm woods in her home.
Finally, I brushed a shellac onto the top piece (for extra durability) and used a matte wax on the base since it’s easier/faster and that part doesn’t need the same level of protection as the top.
We hauled it upstairs to the living room and set it in place. And it’s perfect.
Her home is a split level so it’s one of the first things you see when you walk upstairs into the living room:
The back wall hides half of it, but it’s such a versatile piece that can be moved anywhere and travel to new homes in the future.
And they get a fun area to display pretty things.
I’m just a little bit jealous and know exactly what I’ll be making for myself the next time I need a table!
Now I’m passing on the challenge to you—if you have a way to cut wood and a drill, you can make it too!
This has to be one of my top 3 furniture builds ever and it was so rewarding to see how much my cousin loved it and how happy she is to have it in her home. And I hope this will inspire you to take action as well and try something new!
Hope you’re all enjoying the first official week of summer—make sure to keep up with everything that’s been going on over on instagram and I’ll be back Friday with more photos (keep tagging yours with #jsphotofriday to be featured!)
Want to recreate this look? Find related items below:
Happy Friday! Today is a special Photo Friday as I’ve spent the last week in Seattle. The time has flown by but it has been good for my soul to get out of my element for a while, explore a new region and catch up with my cousin (and escape the California heat!).
I flew up here with the intention of helping my cousin remodel her living room, but after changes in plans with her carpenter and electrician and her having to work long hours this week, we decided to split this project up into two trips so we could have at least a little time to relax and enjoy the trip. I’ll have a couple DIY projects to show you soon but the before & after will come later.
The weather was glorious on Sunday so we spent the day exploring Pike’s Place and downtown…
The city almost reminds me of a smaller, less crowded (and less windy) San Francisco.
My favorite part was dinner at a restaurant on the bay. We enjoyed happy hour by the water and watched the sea planes land and take off.
(iphone photo)
The homes are very charming—many with incredible views of the water, trees, mountains and Mount Rainier. I took the opportunity to go for a long walk around the neighborhood and explore different parts, absorbing the unfamiliar smells of the forest and sounds of the birds.
And of course, coffee. It wouldn’t feel right to not wake up to that every day here.
I’m missing my kitties terribly, but luckily there are some sweet animals full of personality here to love on…
And the food! I’ve been so spoiled. I’m pretty certain I’ve already gained 10lbs. But at least I’m filling up on deliciousness like these in-season rainier cherries… can’t get enough!
Today and tomorrow we plan to take advantage of this weather and celebrate the Summer Solstice so I’ll be checking in on Instagram if you’d like to follow along with the rest of my trip!
Speaking of Instagram, I’m really enjoying everyone’s #jsphotofriday posts so make sure to keep tagging your favorite photos of anything has been inspiring you this week and I’ll feature my favorites! This amazing dining room from the uber talented Trinity Homes (@c.1934) caught my eye recently… isn’t it pure perfection?
Sigh. It makes me miss my home a little. Only two more days left in Seattle… off to enjoy every last second! Have a wonderful weekend and start to your summer, wherever you are.
After the big guest bathroom reveal, many of you had asked about the refinishing technique I used on the vanity:
This piece actually began life as a vintage buffet—I had been stalking my local Craigslist every day for nearly a month when it finally popped up:
From the storage drawer to the large shelf to the antique detailing and curved piece in the back, it was perfect, and $140 later it was mine.
I’ve never really been a fan of red colored furniture so I wasn’t thrilled that this wood appeared to be inherently red once I saw the piece in person.
I had dealt with this type of wood before when I refinished our antique master bedroom dresser—the process was a long and frustrating journey that didn’t end exactly as I had planned, but it was a learning experience.
I decided to try something new this time. Enter, Maison Blanche paints.
I’ve used Maison Blanche chalk paint once before (remember my friend’s aqua dresser makeover?) but this project was different. The goal was to let the wood grain show through, but in more of a natural weathered wood and less of a dated red varnish way. So they graciously sent me a variety of chalk paint, lime paint, glaze, wax and varnish just to make sure I had my bases covered.
Before starting on the finish, we had to adjust the height of the vanity. It was a few inches taller than standard height (which is somewhere around the ballpark of 32″), plus I knew I’d be adding additional height with a vessel sink so we chopped the legs down with a skill saw.
If I were to simply paint the vanity (which would have been so much easier) I could have skipped the prep work and been done that afternoon, but because I had decided on this specific wood finish, I first had to sand down all the varnish. Black & Decker Mouse to the rescue…
This definitely helped eliminate some of the reddish hue but it was still a warm orange tone underneath.
Sanding is by far my least favorite part of any refinishing project. It takes time (and patience) to pull up that pesky varnish and release the beautiful natural wood. I split the task up into several days over a week so it wasn’t as daunting. Finally, a blank slate:
It was looking much better already but I knew (from experience) that as soon as I added any sort of moisture or sealer it would want to go right back to that reddish hue, so I thought that perhaps adding a soft white/gray wash may neutralize it.
The lime paint (in white pepper) looked promising, so I started by diluting a bit of that in water…
Then lightly brushed it on an inconspicuous area of the wood. The wet mixture immediately turned it red again as I had feared… but then it dried, and it was like magic:
You can see the original wood on the left and the lime finish on the right. It didn’t appear painted on, rather, like it had changed the genetic makeup of the wood itself to a naturally aged species. Completely different than any standard latex paint I’d ever used.
Here you can see it in process… this was taken right after I had brushed it on before it dried. The lighter finish on the right edge had already dried after being brushed on just a couple minutes prior.
Then the process became fun. I mixed and brushed and watched in awe as the wood transformed before my eyes. Since this piece was made up of different kinds of wood, some parts took reacted with the mixture better than others, but the red was completely gone.
I could have added more paint to the mix and ended up with a true white washed look, but I really wanted more of a medium toned wood for this room so I left it at one light coat.
Just for fun, I lightly sanded down some of the edges to see what would happen, and it ended up revealing the original warmer wood underneath:
Then came the moment of truth—the protective coat. I prefer to use wax and I would have with this piece, however since it’s used in a wet area it needs to be waterproof and varnish was the only option. I used Maison Blanche’s clear varnish (in matte, not satin):
I wish I could tell you that it left my perfectly weathered wood coloring untouched, but unfortunately it did pull out some of the original warm/red tones. However, it was still a huge improvement over the original finish so I let go of my type-A perfectionism.
Here it is being installed, after 3 coats of varnish:
For the installation, our plumber drilled a hole at the top in the center for the drain and cut a rounded shape out of the drawer to allow room for the plumbing. I didn’t bother sanding the inside so you can see how the original finish looks in comparison to the lime paint wash:
I didn’t want the plumbing to be noticeable, so I had him make it as low profile as possible and I’m so happy he was able to pull it off so well. We used regular black plastic to save money and I painted it using black matte chalk paint. You can’t even tell it’s there unless you kneel down.
I purchased the drawer rings for $4/ea from my go-to hardware source: Ebay. The subtle brass finish plays nicely with the other gold metals in the space. (PS—you can find a source list for everything in the room in the original reveal post).
All in all, this is definitely one of my favorite pieces in the room (maybe my second favorite behind the clawfoot) and I loved having the opportunity to try out a new type of painting technique. Lime paint is a lot of fun to work with and played a big part in transforming this tub as well…
That tutorial is coming up next month!
Have you worked with lime paint before, and if so, what were the results? I’ve been looking around the house trying to find another piece to makeover just to work with it again. It’s pretty fascinating how many different ways you can use it!
A few of my blogger friends also experimented with some Maison Blanche paint recently—head on over to their blogs to see what they did!
And with that, I’m packing my bags right now en route to Seattle for the next 7 days. I have my first in-person client (ahem, cousin) room makeover project we hope to finish while I’m there and I can’t wait to share the details on that soon. The pressure is on!
Happy Friday everyone! Lately I’ve been feeling motivated to pick up my camera more often and capture my surroundings in new ways. I’ve always enjoyed photography but have never made it a point to really get to know my camera or experiment artistically—it’s been more or less documentation for the blog.
Recently I upgraded my camera (from a Canon T2i to 6D—did you notice a difference in the ORC Reveal post?) and the improved image quality has reinvigorated my love for photography and inspired me to make it more of a habit… perhaps even a hobby.
Then I thought it might be fun to start a new series on the blog where I share some recent photos I’ve been taking—of the house, daily life, travels, etc—whatever has been inspiring me in the past week. It may not be every Friday but I’ll try to commit to at least twice a month. This schedule will hold me accountable so that I don’t get lazy and quit! Photography is an important part of my life and I want to have these memories preserved long after I’m gone. I haven’t been documenting nearly as much as I’d like to so it’s time to change that.
And to make this more meaningful, I want you guys to participate! It doesn’t have to be photography related—but whatever is currently inspiring you, whatever goals you are working towards, share them on Instagram or social media and tag your photo with #jsphotofriday.
Here’s a handful of my recent captures lately, taken around the house (all photos from my Canon 6d, most with a 50mm f1.4, unless otherwise noted):
This one was actually taken with my iPhone on a walk around the neighborhood:
Here’s one from the other night when we were hosting a music night with friends and family. We see plenty of photos in blogland with beautiful empty rooms… but sometimes it’s nice to see them being used, right? This is what we designed our home for.
And this isn’t a photo but I thought it’d be fun to share anyway. It’s an iPhone video (excuse the quality) taken on that same night and includes a quick 360* tour of our home from the foyer perspective so it may be interesting for some of you to see how it all flows together:
We love our home most when it’s filled with people 🙂
That wraps up the very first Photo Friday post. Don’t forget to head over to Instagram and tag what’s been inspiring you lately with #jsphotofriday and I’ll include my favorites in the next round! Have a fabulous weekend…
After months in the making, it feels almost surreal to be officially debuting my new e-design services! I’ve been preparing for a long time and can not wait to start connecting with you individually to help you fall in love with your home.
I went over the design services process a bit on Friday, and now you can view the full Design Help page as well as submit your request to get started.
As you may notice, there’s a few changes to this blog as well. To the right of this text is a dedicated Search bar exclusive to content on this blog (desktop site only for now, still working on the mobile). There’s also a handy Archives menu so you can browse posts by month. Every post since the creation of this blog has also been imported so you won’t have to look elsewhere to find old projects, yay! Redirects are still in the process of being set up for all the old posts and pages so there should hopefully not be any broken links (please let me know if you find anything so I can fix it!)
The subscribe by email/RSS feed has been auto-updated and Bloglovin’ should be as well (though that might take a day or two).
The new landing page got a facelift as well! This should make it easier for visitors to find exactly what they’re looking for when they first enter the site.
If you’re signed up for the newsletter, you haven’t heard from me in a while (sorry about that!) but I’ve revamped that as well and I’ll be sending short periodic recaps of blog/shop/life updates neatly compiled into one email so you can catch the latest highlights and happenings. Make sure to sign up if you haven’t now to stay in the loop!
I’m still working out some of the smaller kinks and bugs with my web developers, but if you run into anything that looks odd or isn’t functioning as it should be, please bring it up in the comments and we’ll get to it ASAP.
Whew, I think that covers it all for now. Please don’t hesitate to ask if there’s any questions/comments about the new setup or in general. I really appreciate you all for sticking with me through this transition and really hope you’ll enjoy the new layout and content I have coming up.
