About.com - August Recap

Another month, another 8 posts coming at ya from my About.com Kitchens Expert gig. I was all over the place with my topics last month but I'm pretty happy with the content, so read up and let me know what you think!

1. Backsplash Applications That Demand Attention

The backsplash is a great place to really add some texture and pizazz to your space. In this article I've found a handful of options that are not only pretty, but 100% steal the show in their respective kitchens. 

2. Wall Oven vs. The Range

Whew - this is a conundrum a lot of people face when working on a new kitchen. Both options will get the job done, but which one is right for you and your kitchen? Read on to hear my thoughts, of which I have many, even though I don't cook. Don't judge. 

3. What Wood Should You Use When...

Wood....a subject I've learned a lot about during my time at Bell Kitchen & Bath Studios. A custom cabinet shop is the best place to see, learn and experience the characteristics of wood. If you have a specific look in mind for your cabinetry, this post will tell you which wood species you want to go with to achieve your desired aesthetic. 

4.  The Beauty of a Plate Wall in the Kitchen

Plates are such a fun, inexpensive and impactful way to fill a wall. You know I'm a fan, remember the  Blue Willow Swoosh we did in our dining room? Check out more plate wall ideas in this post. 

5. Advice for Planning your Kitchen Remodel Around the Holidays

I could write a novel on this subject. As a designer there is nothing worse than seeing someones holiday spirit go down the drain because they are stressed and worried about their project getting done. Don't do it to yourself or the people around you. Read this post if you are even thinking about starting a project today to be done by Christmas. 

6.  The Best Quartz Countertop Alternatives to White Marble 

Everyone loves the look of white marble, but if the upkeep is just too much for you check out these quartz (man-made) countertop options. The two brand new offerings from Cambria are REALLY good!

7. Hidden Pantries

Hidden rooms are so lame...said no one ever. The truth is hidden rooms, specifically hidden pantries are cool on so many levels and this article talks about the many perks (cool factor included) to utilizing this concept in your space. 

8. Backless Barstools with Personality

I love a good backless barstool, especially when cow spots are involved. Check out a few other fun picks I gathered in this article.

To see all of my Kitchen articles, check me out here. 

Three Checks on the Baby Front

As of yesterday I am officially 22 weeks along! 

Speaking of the baby, word on the street is babies like to have a place sleep once they are born and come home from the hospital.  Whoa! Who knew!? This whole parenting thing has surprises around every corner. Kids these days.....

Kidding...

Somewhere around 20 weeks, which is technically the half way point, it occurred to us we might need to get cranking on the baby's room. We figured if the second half of this pregnancy goes half as fast as the first half, December will be here before we know it. Of course we've been tossing ideas around for a few months, but we were a whole lot of talk and pretty much zero action. But that all changed once we decided to get at least a few balls rolling and before we knew it we had managed to get three decisions checked off our list...

1. The room:

We have decided to make the "Yellow Room" the babies room.

Ooooh the yellow room....don't we all have one? Please God say the answer to that question is yes. For anyone that has been to our house at any point in the 2 1/2 years we have lived here you know this room as the world's largest catch all AKA the junkiest room in our house. The room where the door is always shut and the contents are always partially unknown. This room was actually a child's room for the family that lived here before us (hence the yellow paint) and really just made the sense for a nursery. It's the smallest of the bedrooms in the house and is complete with  two windows that bring in great natural light and a tiny little closet that will look so cute holding tiny little clothes.

It's been a scary no mans land for long enough and we are excited to transform it in to a fun environment for our mini Shearer. We have already started cleaning it out by throwing away, putting items on Craigslist and in a few weeks we are headed to Rome with a giant load for a yard sale. Once we can see the floor in it's entirety I think we can really start making some traction.

2. The wall color:

With the room selected it was time to figure out a color scheme and vibe for the space. We are not finding out the sex of the baby which is SO fun and exciting but also a bit limiting when it comes to decorating a room. We both agree we want to create a fun, happy space that feels like a natural extension of our home; a room that can grow and evolve with the baby without us having to completely revamp the space in a year or two. So, instead of creating a nursery that is decidedly "baby" we want to create a kids room that a baby can live in and then grow into a toddler and so on. With all of that being said we have decided that no fun, happy room is complete without...... white walls!?!?

I know white may seem like a drab choice, but DON'T WORRY! We already have some plans rolling around in our heads to bring a whole lot of fun and color to the space. I just think a nice clean neutral backdrop is the perfect starting place to kick the yellow room to the curb and prepare the space for any and all colors that might come it's way.

3. The crib:

We are playing with the idea of using the crib Brent used when he was a baby which is the same crib Cindy, his mom used when she was a baby. Here is a picture of Brent in the crib a few years back....

He doesn't seem to love the crib, but we are hopeful the baby will give it a chance ;)

It came up from South Georgia a few weeks ago and we have been working on it. If we can ensure we can make it safe for a baby born in 2015 then we are really excited to use it and love the idea that we will get to give it new life and a fun fresh look.  

About.com - July Recap

Good Lord, time is going too fast! I can barely keep up! WE ARE IN AUGUST. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? July flew by and now it's like August 12th or something....oh wait, it's only the 10th. Whatever, anyways you get the point. July was a pretty good month for me over on About.com. I'm really starting to get in a rhythm with my posts and I'm enjoying this unique platform that allows me to talk about any and every little kitchen topic that pops into this weird little brain O' mine.

Here's what I had to say last month...

1. How I Styled My Kitchen Countertops

Did y'all know I've had my kitchen professionally photographed three times? For the longest time I just couldn't figure out why I loved the kitchen in person, but in photos the space came across flat and lifeless. Then, one day it hit me. STYLING...hello, it's how you put your personal stamp on any space, even a kitchen!

2. Knife Storage Solutions

Clever storage solutions are arguably the best part about re-doing your kitchen in 2015. There are so many cool inserts, concepts and custom elements just waiting to make your life more organized and functional. Even knife storage.....there are options folks, check them out in this article. 

3. Christmas in July

This article is a happy escape to the most wonderful time of the year. You know....December when the air is cool, people are jolly and houses and their kitchens are bursting with holiday flair. 

4. What is Quartzite?

Another day, another countertop option to consider. Quartzite....it's a beauty, but is it the right choice for your kitchen? Read to find out...

5. Red in the Kitchen

I have been obsessed with red as of late. So, naturally I went and wrote an article about it as a fun escape to research different ways to integrate this color into the kitchen. 

6. When Pendant Lights are a Bad Idea

Pendant lights are enticing no doubt, but some kitchens just don't need them. In fact they can be down right distracting to bigger, more expensive elements in the space. Before you go out and buy, buy, buy check out this article to see if pendant lights are the right choice for your space. 

7. The Benefits of Consulting a Kitchen Designer

Gosh, I could write a novel here. Oh wait, I did...well, not a novel but a pretty passionate article! :)

At Home with Bethenny Frankel

I really love getting to peek into a celebrities home. You know, see how the other side lives decorates. Sometimes I daydream about all the weird and fabulous things I would buy if I had a limitless amount of resources. I mean seriously, if money was no object one could go crazy (in a good way) and really let their freak flag fly. 

Because kitchens are my jam I'm always especially interested in seeing that space if a home tour pops up on the radar.  People Magazine recently had a feature on Bethenney Frankel's new Bridgehampton farmhouse which included THIS shot of her kitchen:  

How pretty is this kitchen? I love the classic white vibe with the bold pops of red. It's so fun and fresh!

For those of you unfamiliar Bethenney Frankel, she is the genius creator behind the Skinny Girl product line, in addition to an author and television personality on The Real Housewives of NYC. If you follow Bethenney at all you know that red has been her signature color in everything from her branding to her outfit choices. With that being said I was not at all surprised to see the red hue pop up in her space. What I was surprised about was how much I liked it! 

It's weird because for a few weeks now I've been into red. I've always loved the color in clothes, accessories and nail polish, but rarely ventured in that direction for interiors. However, as of late I've been drawn to spaces utilizing red and seeing this kitchen just solidifies my new found love for this accent color! I think red, especially a bold fiery red, is most impactful and pretty when surrounded by classic elements. In Bethenny's kitchen the red, while the definite eye-catcher in the space, is actually minimal. The barstools are the main red components in the space, and even they are mixed with two other colors - brown and white. This approach allows the accent color (red) to shine bright and add a fun layer of unexpected fun and flare to the space without totally overwhelming it and making the room as a whole feel wild and un-relatable. 

Red is in and I'm on board...and ready to jump on the train, what about you? Are you feeling it?

                         

Love celebrity house tours too? Check out the pads of Kourtney Kardashian and Tory Burch I've covered in the past. 

Photos from people.com.

Click, Click, Click.....You're Going to be a Grandparent!!!

Telling your family you are expecting a baby, which in turn will make them a grandparent or great grandparent, is obviously a big deal and an event we really looked forward to. We knew our families would be super excited about this news especially since this would be the first grandchild/great-grandchild for most of them, so we wanted to be sure the way in which we told them was special and memorable. 

Our goal was to tell as many of them together as possible so we decided to wait until Father’s Day weekend to reveal our news. This gave us some time to figure out how exactly we wanted to tell everyone. We tossed around a ton of ideas, but nothing felt right quite right until one day, out of nowhere Brent came up with a genius idea. 

Do you remember these things from childhood? They are called View-Masters and even if you didn’t actually own one, you are probably familiar with the concept. Insert picture reel, hold contraption up to your eyes and click through to view the images. So, Brent’s all like "what if we could find a way to have custom reels made for each dad/grandfather? And what if we filled their discs with pictures of us and them and then what if the last picture was the ultrasound..."

Um…..YES!!! It sounded like a great plan! No one would see it coming. The guys would think it was just a fun gag gift and would never in a million years expect to click to a picture that delivered that kind of news. It was brilliant, so we began perusing the Internet to see if custom reels were even possible. Well, guess what, they ARE possible and there is a company called Image3D that makes creating one simple with a capital "S". 

We had 5 reels to make and each reel had 6 slots so we began gathering pictures of each dad/grandfather/step dad and preparing the customized reels. The site allowed you to name and save the reels and edit each of them by adding or deleting photos as we refined our selections.

We had a lot of fun crafting each reel and working on the final product. We opted to purchase a view master with each reel so they would be good to go upon delivery. Each view master + real came in it's own small white box which we put a bow on and poof our Father's Day gifts were ready to go. 

Our plan was to give three of the view masters out in person and two would be sent down south to Tifton and Florida. To ensure no one was able to crack into the gift before we were ready we purchased two boxes from Michaels that Brent outfitted with locks and a note that said we would call them with the code when it was time to open. 

Father’s Day weekend rolled around and we were so excited to get this cat out of the bag! It had been a long 13 weeks! We had my dad and Brent’s dad in town and all of us headed to my PapaJack and Grandmother’s house for a lasagna dinner. We decided to be open with the exact timing of the gift giving. We didn’t want to seem too eager or unnatural so we just kind of let things unfold organically. After we finished eating, we were all sitting around the table chatting when I announced that Brent and I wanted to kick off the gift giving with a fun silly gift. I handed out the three boxes and we sat back and watched…..

Initially the table laughed when they saw the view masters and the dad’s began clicking through the pictures one by one. They thought it was fun and clever we got all of the pictures of them inside and laughed and commented as they click, click, clicked through. Suddenly, almost simultaneously they all clicked to the last slide:

 and said “WHAT!” 

Almost instantly the table burst into screams and gasps as everyone grabbed for the view masters for their chance to look through the lens. They screamed, cried, laughed, clapped and did all of the other things you do when you are genuinely freaking out. It was awesome! Shortly after we got on the phone with the rest of the gang and gave them the code to open their boxes. Their reactions were equally as hilarious and enthusiastic. It was awesome! I'm pretty sure we win the prize for best Father's Day present of all time and come December, we will have best Christmas present in the bag too. Sorry, siblings....muhahaha. 

Our parents and grandparents loved us before, sure, but this baby has been a game changer for us popularity wise.  It was literally as if in a flash you go from "oh yeah, we love you Courtney and Brent" to….YOU ARE OUR FAVORITE PEOPLE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! Can we get you ANYTHING?! A sandwich, a back-rub, a  pony?? Instant rockstar status. 

As excited as we are about this baby, having our families in on the news just sweetens the deal!

DIY - Swing Bed

Our back deck has received a LOT of love and attention since we purchased our house back in 2012.  We have built our outdoor kitchen, installed a covered TV, painted the deck and now...... we have DIY'ed ourselves a swing bed!

It's 68" x 39" of pure swinging comfort. 

The whole set up is quite an upgrade from where we started and the ultimate cherry on top for our deck. Well, the ultimate cherry would probably be a hot tub, but I don't think we can DIY one those, so this is the next best thing.

Here's where we started:

The pergola and original swing came with the house and worked quite nicely for awhile. Then, one fateful day one too many people sat on the swing at one of our parties, something popped and well, the swing became a hazard. Instead of just replacing it with the same ol' thing we decided to try our hand at making a swing bed. We had seen a few swing beds in magazines and on home tours and Brent felt it would be relatively easy to DIY so we decided to give it a whirl.

We got the ball rolling by ordering the over sized swing cushion from The Porch Swing Company. This site had a ton of options in both size and color.

Once the giant cushion got here we headed over to Home Depot to pick up supplies. We bought:

• (2) 4 x 4's to form the cross pieces and main supports of the bed.
• (2) 2 x 4's which we cut into five pieces to create the bridge to the 4 x 4's. 

Slats were run across the 2 x 4's to form the seat. Oh, and Brent's brother Scott was a big player in this project, he has good ideas and muscles so in general he is always welcome around our projects. 

We went with the slats instead of a solid piece of plywood so water could easily drain through the seat when it rained. 

Using a Kreg Jig we screwed the newly formed bench into the 4 x 4's.

With the base of the bed complete, we screwed vertical 2 x 4's on the corners for main rail supports and evenly spaced 1 x 4's along the perimeter.

Scott decided to get creative and give the arm rests a little personality with deep flares as the arms come out. Here he is below perfecting the finished product.

With the arm rests finished they were drilled into the corner supports along with a 2 x 4 across the back. 

And to add just one more layer of cool to the arms, the boys decided to create built-in cup holders.  We brought down some drink props to identify the cutout diameter we would need and used a hole saw to drill a hole through each arm. 

With the swing constructed it was time to paint! Last year we had the deck and surrounding areas painted white and gray and decided to keep with these existing colors for the swing. Because the pergola was white we decided on gray for the swing and got to painting....

While the swing dried, we headed back to Home Depot to pick up supplies to hang the swing from the pergola. We tossed around a couple of different ideas like rope and over sized chain, but ended up coming up with something a little different. We were in the chain aisle when we came across some cable and thought THIS could be cool.  

We loved the idea that the cable and associated parts could really bring an industrial vibe to the overall look.

As Brent got everything installed and hooked up, we began to like the cable even more! It's so thin and understated while still providing the weight support we needed. It's perfect!

With the swing hung, it was time to adorn that beast with some pillows. As we looked around at the different options, we quickly realized outdoor pillows can be expensive! So we took our time and dug deep until we found some cool options that weren't a zillion dollars. (I've listed the resources to all of those still available at the bottom of the post.) To keep the pillows looking fresh I typically keep them inside unless they are being used. As for the big cushion, we just let him sit out in the elements all of the time (it's a mold resistant outdoor cushion). He's held up pretty well and he's pretty easy to wipe off before use. We may end up getting a cover for the winter. we will see how it goes. 

The whole set up is sturdy, sleek and a mid-day nappers paradise! We have really enjoyed having this little addition on our deck and while the whole process took us about two weekends to finish, it was relatively simple and inexpensive project, which is always a win-win around here. 

Resources | Large Outdoor Pillows, Floral Outdoor Pillows, Turquoise Outdoor Pillows, Buffalo Check Pillow (not outdoor fabric), Umbrella, Swing Bed Cushion and Rug.

All photos are my own. 

About.com - June Recap

YOU GUYS...thank you SO much for the sweet, sweet comments on our big announcement last week. We so appreciate your excitement and encouragement, it makes the whole experience that much sweeter!

I just got back from 5 fun days in Jamaica, went to work for a day and now I'm enjoying a 3-day weekend. It's a hard life, I know....Despite all of the excitement surrounding June I have been somewhat productive and wrote 7 articles over on About.com, here's a little recap...

1. The Best Taupe Paint for Your Kitchen Cabinets

A taupe kitchen can be SO warm, inviting and chic'. Over the year's I've designed quite a few kitchens that donned the taupe hue and each and every time the results were beautiful. In this article I'm writing about my favorite taupe paint colors as wells as a few on my "to try list".

2. Meet the Steam Oven

The Wolf Convection Steam unit is truly the bomb dot com. I'm writing all about the features this little appliance has that is sure to make even the most amateur cook (cough, cough...ME! ) look like a pro. 

3. Walk-in Pantry vs. Cabinet Pantry

This comparison or "battle" may see nuts seeing as how most of us would agree that storage is storage...HOWEVER some spaces allow for one vs the other and the debate on which is better can get SERIOUS. People love their storage and over the years it's been hard to convince clients to re-think how they store their goods. In this article I talk about the pros and cons of each pantry solution. 

4. What's in a Name? Exploring Today's Most Popular Design Styles

A few weeks ago I posted about this Tuscan Kitchen Keri Perry and I designed and it got me to thinking....as designers we throw around words like Tuscan, traditional, modern and transitional all the time but what do these titles actually mean? I break down the specifics within several design styles in this article.  

5. 5 Easy Ways to Give the Standard Subway Tile Backsplash New Life

The subway tile is undoubtedly one of the most popular backsplash selections on the market today. In this article I'm talking about a few easy ways to add some pizazz to your subway tile that will set it a part and make it feel a lot more custom and considered. 

6. Is White Marble the Worst Idea Ever?

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked "is white marble the worst idea ever?" Heck, I even asked myself that same question when it came to picking the tops for my kitchen. It's a tricky question and people definitely have their opinions, both good and bad. In this article I'm sharing my honest opinion and experience regarding the tempting stone. 

7. How to Select the Best Remodeler for Your Project

Over the years I have worked with many different remodelers on various projects and I have seen first hand how important it is to pick the right remodeler for you and your project. Selecting the right team is not only crucial for the successful execution of your project but your sanity. In this article I'm full of tips and suggestions for finding your dream team. 

Well, that's a wrap on my June articles! As always I'm eager to hear from you all if you think up a topic you would like me to cover over on my About.com page. Happy 4th of July weekend everyone!