Scary stairwell renovation: paint, flooring, and functional updates!

8.22.2019

Scary stairwell renovation: paint, flooring, and functional updates!

We neglected an important part of our kitchen (sort of) even though we finished our kitchen reno last month... the basement stairwell and side door that lead into our kitchen, and are our most commonly used entrance to the house, were terrifying!! Dirty 40-year-old vinyl, wallpaper, stained ivory trim, constant dust, piles of shoes and boxes of soda... NOT what you want to see when you walk into your home every day!

We made a few small changes over a couple of weekends and totally transformed this functional space!

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Non-kitschy 2-hour decor projects

8.20.2019

Non-kitschy 2-hour decor projects

TRUST ME, I know what it's like to be short on time but want to improve your home... I see so many projects I'd like to do around here!! Thankfully there ARE lots of ways to make little changes, add interest or style, or make something better work for you--in 2 hours or less!

This week on the Your Home Story podcast we're running you through our favorite ideas of 2-hour home decor projects--and these are not your typical "glue stuff to a lamp" kitschy, disposable ones. These ideas will improve your home or room for a long time, AND will make you feel accomplished right away!

Links to what we covered:

1. Bluetooth waterproof speaker that Ashley’s loving (and it’s under $40!).
2. Portable bluetooth speaker that Suzannah and Jason have been using while working on projects
3. 2-hour or less projects:
1. Styling a vignette whether that be on a dresser, nightstand or media cabinet.
2. Change out dresser hardware. Examples: dresser/changing table, vanity (added holes)
3. Give a poster frame a wood look
4. DIY wall art on a canvas.. Examples: abstract ikat-ey painting, windowpane ribbon art
5. Ashley loves these cork pads for plants.
1. Split plants or change their vessels.
6. Sewing for the Home
1. Great pillows, Suzannah made one that said HOME BODY with the Silhouette transfer machine years ago.
2. Curtain hemming. Suzannah shared her IKEA tutorial here.
7. DIY Bamboo Shade Hack
8. Light Fixture Upgrades
1. Even can lights or fluorescents can be replaced with a few extra pieces of equipment.
2. Spray paint a light fixture. Check out this (formerly brass) pendant in Suzannah’s breakfast nook here.
9. Hang a gallery wall.

The spray painted vintage pendant light in our breakfast nook. This photo is pre-kitchen reno but we still have it up today!

You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram:
@suzannahstanley
@biggerthanthethreeofus
@yourhomestorypodcast

And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Listen here or in your favorite podcast player:

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I am dishing on my kitchen reno!

8.13.2019

I am dishing on my kitchen reno!

I know I've shared a ton of information-heavy posts about our DIY kitchen reno, but today you can hear me talk candidly about it and get the behind-the-scenes scoop!

This week on the Your Home Story podcast, hear about the biggest projects and design decisions, plus... why I chose white cabinets despite being a little bored of them these days!, would I do anything different in hindsight?, my favorite finishes, and more! This project was almost “down to the studs”--hear why I kept and covered some elements! And finally, you WILL be surprised what this beautiful kitchen reno cost!

Links to posts and images we talked about:

• Listen back to episode 67, where I shared the design challenges and plans
• My slate-look sheet vinyl installation tutorial (flooring by Armstrong Flooring)
• My post and video about building her own cabinets (which are from Walcraft Cabinetry--see her comparison post here)
• My post on her marble-look quartz countertops and money-saving tips
• How I chose her sink and faucet (both from Elkay)
• My post on how to choose cabinet hardware and the ones she loves from Sumner Street Hardware
• My DIY thicker wood open shelf tutorial--plus how they kind of look floating and worked above a tile backsplash
• How I saved almost $4k on nicer, traditional-look handle appliances (hint: scratch-and-dent sources like Sears Outlet)
• The full BUDGET breakdown of my kitchen reno
• My DIY range hood cover tutorial for her Zephyr vent hood
• @Philip_or_flop’s helpful crown molding Instagram story highlights

You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram:
@suzannahstanley
@biggerthanthethreeofus
@yourhomestorypodcast

And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Listen here or in your podcast player!

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You know you want to know: DIY kitchen reno BUDGET

8.08.2019

You know you want to know: DIY kitchen reno BUDGET

Creating good design on a realistic budget is one of my primary goals in our home renovation. I love watching designers create beautiful homes and transformations, but I can't imagine ever spending $75k (or more) on a kitchen. No judgment for those who do, it's just not my style.

I am so proud of how our kitchen renovation turned out AND I am proud of how we kept it affordable. Replacing our cabinets meant this was not going to be an under $2,000 DIY kitchen reno like our last one, but still--this project was WAY more budget-friendly than most of those I've seen around the blog/design world lately and I hope it inspires you that you can do so much with your space, even on a budget!

I'm sharing ALL the details in this post!

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Design, Make, & Live: Front Porches

8.06.2019

Design, Make, & Live: Front Porches

Today, we are sharing all about how to design, makeover, and use (and LOVE!) your front porch. Form, function, DIYs, and more!!

This week's episode of the Your Home Story podcast really inspired me, since our front porch is still in its "before" state--a space we haven't tackled yet! In the episode I describe my current front porch setup and some wishes for the future (specifically with curb appeal). Ashley shares that she loves the updates that she’s done in her space, but in recording actually realized the function is still not there for her!

We talk “function” of the front porch first. We cover doors, weatherstripping, lighting, doorbells, and doormats to upgrade to how your front porch functions.

The aesthetic upgrades are more exciting, and we talk about some inspiring finished porches!

Specifically we referenced:

1. What it costs to replace double front doors
2. How to install a doorbell button
3. Ashley’s Modern Front Porch Makeover
4. Beautiful Before/After Skinny Front Porch Makeover
5. Single door on the front porch with a larger concrete stoop/porch
6. Inspiration front porch that spans the whole front of the house

You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram:
@suzannahstanley
@biggerthanthethreeofus
@yourhomestorypodcast


And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

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DIY building and installing cabinets to finished kitchen! VIDEO

8.01.2019

DIY building and installing cabinets to finished kitchen! VIDEO

Looking back on where we started with this kitchen reno two months ago... I am so proud! We worked so hard to do this completely DIY kitchen project and learn a ton of new skills, installing kitchen cabinets one of them!

I put together a video of the steps involved in getting our new cabinets built, installed, and in use.

Thanks to Walcraft Cabinetry for working with me on this reno by providing me a discount on our cabinets!

Here's the video, which you can also see on my YouTube channel. I am working on posting there more often and would love if you would subscribe to me there so you don't miss my next videos!

As for all those posts I talked about... See the full reveal HERE! And check out other posts on this DIY kitchen reno:

• Read about our design/plans here
• See all the house before photos here
• See how we built our cabinets here.
• Read about our kitchen demo day here.
• See how we installed our cabinets here.
• Learn about our budget-friendly marble-look quartz countertops here.
• See our handmade-look tile backsplash/mosaic tile pros/cons here.
• Read how to lay sheet vinyl flooring in a complex, larger space here.
• Read about our kitchen sink and faucet (and why we didn't choose a farm sink and bridge faucet)
• Learn how to choose cabinet hardware and see the beautiful, affordable modern traditional options I considered
• See our chunky wood floating-look easy, budget-friendly DIY open shelf tutorial
• Read how we saved $4k on higher-end looking appliances
• Get the DIY built-in range hood tutorial here
• See my comparison of budget-friendly cabinet options (beyond IKEA!) here
• See my video about our cabinets, start to finish.
• See the full BUDGET breakdown here

Hope that was helpful if you're considering replacing your cabinets!!

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