the master bath renovation.

When I first shared about the home we bought, I mentioned that it wasn't a major fixer upper.  by this I mean it wasn't in need of major repairs, such as structural issues.  but being built in the 80s, it needed a little updating. 

I truly love the whole house.  it's very classic and has such good bones, but nearly every room had wallpaper or some type of border and outdated fixtures.  the master bathroom may have been the room that needed updating most.

like the rest of the house, it needed some love; but it had lots of potential.  such as: 

• his + her closets -- this was huge for us because the original tiny white house only had one closet in the entire house
• a linen closet
• separate toilet room
• large space for vanity
• a window — this was exciting to me because I love windows + natural light
• high ceilings
  
  and then there were the not-so-good things:
   
• wallpaper everywhere — and not just one, but three complementing patterns
• a blue-gray tub
• a vanity that took up a little too much space
• outdated fixtures
• outdated + grossish tub surround
• popcorn ceilings

I had a vision in mind of what I wanted, but our budget was tight.  here's what I knew: the wallpaper had to go, the ceilings needed to be scraped, the vanity + tub surround would be ripped out, the ceiling fan would be replaced with a light fixture, and all fixtures would be updated.

we knew when we bought the house, we needed to do as much of the work as we could ourselves.  I have always had a knack for decorating + fixing things up, so I was thrilled about this.  but as we got into this adventure, I realized it wasn't possible for us to do everything ourselves.  and frankly, it wasn't wise either.  there are certain things one can get away with doing themselves, but some stuff should be left to the pros, or the brave/extreme DIYers.

in our case, we did all the painting.  after getting a quote and realizing the cost for a professional to do it was the same amount as the budget for the entire house, that got scratched off the list fast.  we did decide, however, to splurge and let professionals do the flooring + tiling.  I'll share more about that with each room; but for the master bath, we hired someone to lay new tile for the floor and install a new tub surround.

the old bathroom tile, which is also in our living room, isn't terrible.  it's not exactly my first choice, but it could be much worse.  I think it had been updated at some point since the house was built.  I knew we were ripping out the vanity, though, and there wouldn't be any tile underneath it, so we decided to rip it all up and put something new down.  one area we were able to "save" in our master bath reno was to rip the old tile up ourselves.  and obviously, when I say "ourselves," I mean my husband.  he scraped every popcorn ceiling, as well.  he's the best ever.

Now you have an idea of what we were working with.  ready to see the transformation?

I decided on a small, white hexagon tile for the new bathroom tile.  I know this is "in" right now, but it was also used in bathrooms a hundred years ago. something you should know about me is that I hate to be trendy or do what everyone else is doing.  so, my decision to install hexagon tile was purely because 1) I liked the clean look of it and 2) it's timeless.  I chose a light gray for the grout color.  I wish I had gone a little darker, but overall, I am pleased with it.

some of the generous people that took care of us during the flood gave us a dresser that I refinished and we used as our vanity.  I wanted to strip it and stain it; but for the sake of time, I decided just to paint it.  I used this chalk paint in Boot Black and sealed it with a satin polyurethane.  I wish there wasn't as much of a sheen to it, but I suppose that's the tradeoff for using a dresser as a bathroom vanity.  I stripped and stained the mirrors that belong to this vanity, and I'm so happy I did because I really wanted to feature some dark wood in the bathroom somewhere.

The old vanity had one large sheet mirror and since we were going from one mirror to two smaller mirrors, I asked [read: begged] my husband to change the electrical wiring so we could do a wall sconce in the center, rather than two overhead light fixtures.  he made this happen, and I found our light fixture on Wayfair.  I really love it.  I added these crystal prisms that I found in a junk store and a little sheer ribbon from a craft store.

Once we realized the blue-gray tub was cast iron + porcelain, we decided to keep it and refinish it.  this worked best with our budget; and I knew once a new tub surround was installed, the whole thing would look brand new.  after some research, I ordered a tub + tile refinishing kit and my dad refinished both the upstairs and downstairs tubs.  we chose a white subway tile for the tub surround.  again, I'm going with the timeless factor over the trendy factor.

After scraping and painting the ceilings, we exchanged the old ceiling fan for a little teardrop chandelier I found at an antique store.  I added a ceiling medallion I found at Lowe's to give it a little something extra. this is one of my favorite details.

I made our window treatment following a tutorial by Miss Mustard Seed.  I'm certainly a beginner when it comes to sewing, so don't look too closely.  however, I love the simplicity of this little valance.  I plan to make something similar for the upstairs bathroom eventually.

I love the way our bathroom renovation turned out.  such a transformation!  it was especially fun to see this space transform right before our eyes.  I love just stepping into this room and soaking in that pretty painted tub.  it's amazing what a little paint, a little money, and a lot of hard work can do for a room.

sources:

sinks | Kohler via Lowe's
faucets | Kingston Brass via Wayfair
hexagon tile | American Olean via Lowe's
subway tile | American Olean via Lowe's
shower + tub faucet | Delta via Home Depot
wall sconce | One Allium Way via Wayfair
tub + tile kit | Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit via Home Depot

tuesday tips: my bathroom must-haves

It's time for another edition of Tuesday Tips!  today I am sharing my bathroom must-haves.  these are simple ideas, but they have the potential to give your bathroom a little something extra.

apothecary jar

apothecary jars have been a staple in my bathroom since I got married.  they double as storage that is visually pleasing, as well as decor.  in the original tiny white house, in our single bathroom, we had a small pedestal sink [read: no counter space] and almost no storage, except for a little open cabinet.  I kept wash cloths + toilet paper in baskets inside the cabinet.  on top of it on a mirrored tray, I kept a jar full of cotton balls.  it looked pretty and it was practical.  if you're not one for cotton balls, you can store whatever it is you do like... bars of soap, q-tips, sponges, bath salts—you name it.

basket for towels

whether your bathroom has a linen closet or not, filling a basket with towels is a great idea.  it's nice for easy access to towels and creates storage if you don't have a linen closet or cabinet in which to store them.  maybe you do have somewhere to store towels and maybe not all your towels are "pretty."  that's okay and real life.  consider investing in a few nicer, decorative towels and having them displayed in a basket or on an open shelf.  this could also be helpful to guests!  having towels in plain sight may keep them from having to rummage through your cabinets + closets in search of one.

pretty soap

this is a little trick I shared as my last Tuesday Tip.  pretty soap dispensers and bars of soap can make a world of difference!  whether it's a plastic or glass dispenser or a bar, you can find aesthetically pleasing soap at stores like TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning.  and they don't cost much!  another plus: when it's empty, you can save the bottle + refill it with the soap fragrance of your choice.

trays

this is another item you'll find in my bathrooms, as well as scattered throughout my home + decor.  these can serve many purposes, both decorative and practical.  whether it's acting as a base for a vignette or corralling all your toiletries into one space, trays are good for just about anything.  they create interest, add texture, and help keep things organized.

white towels

I keep white towels in both our master bath and upstairs bath.  there are so many benefits to white towels!  not only do they look bright + clean, but they can also be bleached if necessary.  in addition to this, they create a spa-like feeling in a bathroom.  stores like TJ Maxx and Home Goods have inexpensive, quality towels.

And that's today's Tuesday Tip.  what do you think?  what are your bathroom must-haves?

the nursery | part ii

A little more than a year ago, we welcomed our first child into the world—a sweet little boy named Grey.  he was born in a time of adversity, as our house, the place we planned to bring him home to, flooded a month before he was due, mere days after I set up his nursery.  after losing our home + most of our belongings, we moved in with my parents.  I set up a nursery for him there, as well.  I can remember the mix of emotions I felt each time—excitement, disbelief, sadness, fear, exhaustion, bitterness.  but because of Him, the underlying emotions were hope and joy.

when he was about six months old [and we were still living with my parents], my husband + I found out were expecting again.  to say we were surprised is a bit of an understatement.  it was not exactly the timing we expected or had planned for; but ultimately, we were beside ourselves.  admittedly, it was laughable, especially considering all that had taken place that year.

Thankfully, after much prayer, tears, and waiting [patiently and not so patiently], the Lord provided us with a home.  we all were excited for so many reasons.  it was just the right timing as my parents reminded us that we were quickly outgrowing the two bedrooms they had so graciously given us in their home for a year.

the house we purchased has three bedrooms + two baths.  this is an ideal arrangement for a family with two children; but I knew from the beginning, I wanted the babies to share a room.  with our first child, we chose to find out the gender.  with this second one, we decided to be surprised.  I mean, why not carry on with the element of surprise?  regardless of the gender, I want our children to share and there are a few reasons for this.  in short, I think it's sweet.  it's also economical.  another plus is that the bedroom that is used as our nursery is a good size room, so I'm not worried about it being crowded.  and having shared a room with every member of my family at some point, my brother included, it wasn't even a question to me of whether or not a boy and girl could share.

When I decorated Grey's room(s), I chose a mostly neutral palette.  this proved to be beneficial in our case, because it's not too "boyish" of a nursery, should a sweet baby girl join the family this time around.  I plan to make a few minor changes, such as adding another crib, different bedding, furniture placement... just to name a few.

Now baby #2 has not joined us yet, so we will see how all this goes.  I have heard from both sides how or why sharing a room will or won't work.  the baby will be in our room for awhile, so we'll just see and cross that bridge when we come to it.

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click here to read about a nursery for two...

tuesday tips: pretty soap dispensers

The other day, I got the idea to share an easy styling trick on instagram, and then I thought, why not make it some cutesy new thing using alliteration in the title and tie into the blog?  and that's how Tuesday Tips was born.  so every now and again, on a Tuesday, I'll share some simple decorating tips + tricks.

here's my tip for you today: pretty soap dispensers make all the difference!  whether it's plastic or glass, you can find aesthetically pleasing bottles of soap, at stores like TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning.  and they don't cost much!  the best part: when it's empty, you can save the bottle + refill it with the soap fragrance of your choice!

When I was looking for a pretty bottle of soap for my upstairs bathroom, I knew I had found what I was looking for when I spotted this Crabtree & Evelyn hand soap.  it was perfect for the shared bath, which is located in the hallway between the nursery and the guest room.  since it doubles as a child's bathroom and a guest bathroom, I want the space to feel clean + classic, with a touch of whimsy.  I think this soap helps accomplish just that.

below are some ideas of today's Tuesday Tip displayed in my home + work.

Maybe you're more of a bar-of-soap kinda gal [or guy].  there are plenty of options in that style, as well.  I found this bar of soap on the clearance rack at TJ Maxx for $1.50.

And there you have it!  an easy, affordable way to add a little something extra to your handwashing areas.

disclaimer: you may have already thought of this.  if so, wonderful!  if not, this post is for you.

home.

Home.  for the last year, this is the thing I have longed for most.

On March 9th, 2016, devastating flood waters swept across our town and left many without their homes, businesses, and churches.  I was eight months pregnant with our first baby when water began seeping into our home underneath the baseboards.  within thirty minutes, there was a foot of water in our home.  we stood there hopelessly as we watched the life we had built in our tiny white house nearly fall apart.  I have never felt such despair.  it was a moment I will never forget.

We left our home that day with only what we could carry.  from the street, I wept as I watched our house fill with water, covering all of our belongings + our most treasured possessions.  that day, we said goodbye forever to our tiny white house.  this was the home I found driving around one day, signed the lease the next day, and sat empty for five months until our wedding.  this was the home my husband carried me across the threshold the night of our wedding.  this was the home we learned so much about love and loss and marriage and forgiveness and life.  this is the home we planned to bring our baby home to the very next month.  but in a moment, everything changed.

The weeks that followed were a blur, marked with tears, disbelief, fear, exhaustion.  we moved in with my parents indefinitely.  I was so grateful they took us in, but still heartbroken about the loss of our home.  people told me how nice it would be to have all the help once the baby arrived, but truthfully, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about stepping into parenthood with an audience.  I remember crying most of the month of March and a lot of the month of April.  in addition to the flood uprooting us and the pregnancy hormones and preparing for a baby and all the changes that would take place upon the baby’s arrival, the job I had loved and held for five years was changing.  for the first time in four summers, I wouldn’t spend my days with the children I nannied.  and in the fall, Andy would begin kindergarten so they wouldn’t need me at all. it was just a lot at once.  I know I was an absolute pleasure to be around during those weeks.

"it's just stuff."  I heard this more than once.  and it's true, it is just stuff.  it's only temporary.  in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter.  but let me tell you this: I love my stuff.  probably a little too much.  days after the flood, I was going through what had been salvaged and I came across a damp index card.  it read: "if you're identified by what you have, who are you when you lose it all?"  my Sunday school teachers in middle school had asked that question and I held onto it all these years.  I wept as I read it, never having understood the gravity of it and that I would be in a place where I'd have to ask myself this.

Some mentioned that the flood was a "blessing," or would turn out to be.  this was laughable to me in those first few days, even months.  however, I was overwhelmed by how we were blessed through this trial.  men in boats and trucks helped my family and others to salvage what we could.  people helped with the flood relief.  people gave to us.  I saw with my own eyes the church being the church.  I saw people we knew + loved and some who barely knew us before the flood love us in a way that only the Father can. 

and because of the flood, I was given one of the sweetest seasons in time with my family.  I learned so much about home this year, and how it doesn't matter so much where you are, but who you're with. and people were right—all that help with the baby was nice.

the next month, we welcomed our son into the world.  the days following that were filled with joy, tears, and hope.  in a time of darkness, the Lord so sweetly showed me how much He loves me, through His constant + timely provision and in the way He trades beauty for our ashes.  every time I held our baby or saw him smile, I felt as if the Lord was saying to me, "I know a lot has happened, but here's this really great thing I made just for you."  His goodness is overwhelming.

life got a lot sweeter after the baby arrived.  we adjusted to a new normal.  we began saving as much as we could in hopes of buying a home.  and then we waited.  and waited.  and waited.  we waited for a credit score.  we waited for a house. but not just any house.  the right house.  our house.  we found a few we liked.  I could have seen us living in any of them.  they all had potential and would have been fun to fix up and call home, but the timing just wasn’t right.

in October, seven months after the flood, we found it.  I had driven past it hundreds of times and always thought it was beautiful.  in fact, the afternoon we went to look at it with our incredible realtor, I passed by it earlier that day not knowing it was for sale and thought, “wow.  now that’s my dream house.” I never imagined it would be mine.  two months later, we signed the papers.  and now it’s ours.

I have seen firsthand how the Lord provides.  I’ve seen this throughout my entire life, from childhood to adulthood.  He was always faithful to provide great friends in all the places we lived growing up and He has been our joy + provision in the unknown.  I know He will provide, though I struggle at times with unbelief.  but one of my favorite parts of this story is not just what He provided, but how He provided.  not just a house, but a home.  a home that was better than I ever could have dreamed of.  a home that was immeasurably more. 

we've spent the last three months renovating this home.  it has been an adventure, to say the least.  I'm sure my husband would say that's putting it nicely.  it wasn't a major fixer upper, it just needed a little love... and some fresh paint, new flooring, bathroom updates, de-popcorned ceilings, a revamped staircase, and all new light fixtures + hardware throughout. but that's it really.

it was certainly a challenge.  that needs to be said.  but it was fun, too.  of course, fixing up a house has always been a dream of mine.  so while it's not for everyone, this kind of thing is right up my alley.

we are so grateful and humbled and I can't wait to share more about this adventure and our renovation story on the blog!

"now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21

"and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though He is not far from any one of us."
Acts 17:26-27

"for every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God."
Hebrews 3:4