How to Change Your Home to Look Like Your Pinterest Boards

Also, How to Declutter, Lighten & Brighten Your Home.

Also, How to COMPLETELY Change Your Home Decorating Style

 

See if this sounds familiar to you.

 

I was looking at my Pinboards--two in particular. One was titled A Home: Shabby, Vintage & Timeworn. The other was A Farmhouse Home. These boards are where I collect all the photos of homes that I admire. THESE are what I want MY life to BE like!

As I was looking through them, I noticed something. Something disturbing. These photos did not look much like my own home. In fact, my house didn't look like these at all.

Now, I understand that my modest under-100k house is not going to look like a castle or mansion, but a lot of these photos were not unattainable. In fact, a few simple changes, a coat of paint, and I could probably DO this. I was surprised at all the changes that I COULD make... but just never did.

That's when I decided to look up things like, "How to Change Your Decorating Style" and "How to Lighten and Brighten Your Home." While I found a few interesting articles, there really just wasn't much out there. I wanted REAL advice. I wanted BEFORE & AFTER photos of someone who had done this. What I got were lots of text-heavy articles with no proof, no pictures. Or else I got lots of lovely "after" photos without much explanation of how to get there.

That's when I decided to CHANGE things myself... and write about it. And post pictures. You are benefiting from my breakdown. Enjoy!





Find these photos and their links here



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, how DO you turn those pinboards into reality? I began by asking myself a few questions. And I was surprised by the answers.

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/2015/02/
sweet-scents-in-bedroom.html

1. Take a look at your favorite pins of rooms you admire. What color are the walls?
In almost all my favorite pins, I was surprised to find the walls were white. Not only the walls, but also the trim around doors and windows. "But I like color!" I said to myself. "I like natural hardwood floors and trim." And yet, all my Pins told another story. Apparently, I like white more than I realized. It makes a nice, neutral backdrop for adding subtle color. It also lightens and brightens a room! Who knew?
 

2. What are 5 features/items that you like about your pin rooms?
These were my answers:
-Textures: stone, worn wood
-Linen - raw, homespun, natural fibers
-Beadboard/Weathered Wood - natural, white and clean
-Light/Airy Feeling - from the walls to the curtains, to the slipcovers.
-Space Open but Cozy - light and airy, but also cozy (not cluttered!) showcasing vintage pieces

Find these photos and their links on my pinboards: https://www.pinterest.com/thegoodvillain/

3. What DON'T you like about your current space? 
For me, this was primarily my dining room. My computer is also in this space, along with six (yes SIX) cupboards. I don't like the clutter (although I love all my knick knacks, but a girl has to choose). I don't like the dark wood floor and trim (but painting isn't an option as we might very soon be moving to another state, and I don't want to put that much work/time/money into it).

My dining room had a LOT of orangy wood in it. Not to mention serious clutter.

4. What DO you like about your current space?
I'd already begun the Great Pinboard Revolution in my dining room. I'd traded out our old, dark wood dining table for a thrift store fixer-upper, which I refinished myself. I'd also painted our walls five different times before settling on a vanilla latte color--it wasn't exactly white, but it was close. Finally, I'd traded in my heavy, dark draperies for sheer whites. (Click here for my post about rag garlands for curtains.) It was a good start, but my work wasn't done yet!



This was my dining room after PHASE 1. I updated the table and cleared some clutter. This was a good look for me, but I had to get rid of that desk and fake tree.

5. Now COMBINE these to make yourself a plan!
So, what can we learn here, kiddos? Apparently, I like white walls and trim. Unfortunately, this isn't an option for me right now, but I CAN bring more white into my space. Also, I like stone and worn wood. I like raw linens, beadboard, a light airy feeling and above all... a clutter-free space.

I took a look around my dining room and made a plan. First, I vowed to eliminate ONE of those SIX cabinets. This would help cut down on clutter. I also vowed to BOX UP some of the stuff in my room. I didn't have to donate it (although I probably should). But I could STORE it in neat little plastic tubs and cycle it out as the year went by, switching out one candlestick for another. You get the idea.

Also, why not paint one or two of those SIX cabinets white? It would add some white to the space, tone down those heavy woods and also lighten and brighten! Sadly, there's not much room for linens in my dining room, so I would need to save those for the living room. I would REALLY love to put up a beadboard celing with some reclaimed wood beams, but time and budget won't allow. Still, I have a plan!

My Plan:
-Declutter. Pack away extra items.
-Eliminate one of those cabinets.
-And paint one or two of them WHITE. I can DO this!

I'm hoping to implement my "plan" after our move. I'm looking forward to that clean slate, and I intend to do things differently this time.

• I vow to take charge of my own space. If I want light, airy, painted wood, then I'm going to GO for it. No more of mom's voice in my ear saying, "You can't paint WOOD!"
• I will remember how I like a few vintage showcase pieces, not eight-million knick knacks cluttering up my house.
• And I won't let myself be lazy and just let a space sort of... happen. I will decide! I can DO this!

So can you.

BEFORE (or actually, mid-makeover).

AFTER (or actually, as much as I can do in my current home).



Vintage elements (not clutter): old suitcase (hiding all my books) and of course, my signature birdcage. ;)



I eliminated a cabinet! I am SO proud of me! I get a cookie.

Things are still a bit cluttered, but one step at a time, right? :)

Want more decorating ideas?

Check out my post on updating your home's style!

 

Dining Room Makeover

We saw this place on the way to the
Renaissance faire. I promise I don't always
dress my kids like that.

It's funny how we neglect ourselves. As a mom, I usually make sure my kiddos have clean clothes, haircuts, transportation, etc., while I myself run out the door without brushing my hair (or sometimes teeth). The same thing happens with my house. I find myself making over furniture pieces for everyone under the sun, while my own home suffers.

I finally decided to do something about it! I was sighing over Pinterest boards when I realized I could do that! Or something like that, anyway. I didn't have to live with fifteen shades of wood and mystery piles in the corner anymore! And so began my DINING ROOM MAKEOVER! Yay!

Attempt #3 or #4 at painting the dining room.

To really tell this story, I have to go back, waaaay back to square wheels and dinosaurs and this house in 2006, the year we bought it. It was a fixer-upper, and by fixer-upper, I mean that it looked like it should be condemned. I still remember the first time we drove by. My husband had had a dream when he was a teenager about a woman with dark curly hair and a little girl in front of a house with a corner door. So, when we saw this house had a corner door, we had to stop, even though it really did look like it was about to fall down. Hubby got out to look while I stayed in the car. Then I saw him waving frantically from the saggy porch.


"Oh brother," I said as I dragged myself out to see what had him so excited. Then I looked in the picture window and saw this:

It was a beautiful wooden staircase. We bought it soon thereafter and began the WORK. The work never finished. We are, at this moment, still working. But that's another story. On to the dining room!

The dining room started out with pink painted walls (over wallpaper) and green carpet, or at least it had once been green. I'm pretty sure. Since then, it has been painted, I believe, FIVE times. Yes. I painted it yellow, then added stripes, then green, then white, then the current color which is a kind of off-white. With all those layers, I think the room has actually shrunk by a quarter inch.

First attempt: yellow!

Yellow=bad. Very bad.

Yikes! Second attempt: Stripes!

Uh, nope. Things get fuzzy here. Maybe it's all the paint fumes... I'm pretty sure third attempt was army-green, then white. But I don't have a picture of the "white" phase.

My "green" phase. Did not work. Made the room very dark.

So, I finally found a color I can live with, but then I realized I really didn't like my dining room. It had eight thousand clashing shades of wood furniture/trim/flooring. I've changed the table twice. Computer desks have come and gone and come again (our dining room doubles as an office). And I've also gone through various storage units, finally settling on a Salvation Army hutch, a gutted radio cabinet, and a Walmart cabinet that I made over after Hubby put it together upside down. :)

I won't go through the details of before and after. Instead I will show you how things have progressed. The end result isn't really the end. I still have plans and will likely paint two or three more times. But I'm happy.
For now.

Pretty light curtains give an airy feeling to this boxy room.

My favorite! I LOVE how the dining table turned out!

Lead paint didn't stop me from loving this little door.
I simply gave it a few clear coats to seal in those naughty paint chips.

I <3 old windows!

Found these corbels at a thrift store. They are a perfect fit for my new shabby/French country dining room!

As an author, I LOVE old books.

Finally painted this mirror my mom gave me. So shabby-chic!

Old radio cabinet now stores art supplies. LOVE it!

Here's the "final" product. For now. :)