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!

 

Media Cabinet Makeover

Even before spring officially arrived, I'd been chomping at the bit wanting to do a new Porch project. I've got a pile of things in the basement, and technically I'm supposed to be stopping the madness to get our house ready to put on the market, but I admit it. I have a problem. I see something cute and I just want to make it cuter!

Like this TV cabinet for example.

I love, love, LOVE curvy little legs and cute little doors with tiny little knobs and well... I saw this baby's potential and wanted to make her SHINE.

My original plan was too ambitious for hubby. I wanted to gut this cabinet and add barnboard shelves and a beadboard back, but it wasn't to be. Hubby is maxed out with his own work at the moment, so I had to settle for what I could do on my own, mainly painting.

So, I started with Zinsser primer. It sticks to everything and is essential if you don't want to sand. Next came a couple layers of a country white latex paint. After that, I scraped and sanded away at the edges to give this cabinet a chippy, vintage look. Finally, I brushed on a walnut stain/sealer and wiped it off with a cotton rag.

Actually, it was hubby's shirt. If you're going to steal a cotton shirt out of your husband's drawer and use it for staining furniture, I highly recommend doing it when he's at work. Fighting is bad for a marriage, so let's just avoid it.

This little lady is still drying, but I'm hoping to get her out onto the Porch and take some nice photos with a little natural light to really show her off!

Easy Spring Flowering Branches

  
Easy Spring Flowering Branches
If you're like me, you LOVE the look of flowering trees... those bare branches with the tiny, perfect flowers--no leaves to get in the way, just pretty perfection! However, I've tried cutting a few to bring into the house. Sometimes they are perfect and wonderful and last for days. Most times, though, they die quickly, are hard to work with and usually come with little "residents" in the form of spiders and other nasty visitors.

Solution? Make your own! It wasn't hard to find a few broken branches in our yard after a long, snowy winter. I went to the thrift store and bought a couple old bouquets of white flowers. They even came with some mossy grass that made a very nice faux bird nest! Some hot glue and voila! Spring has sprung!

Teen-Ster Baskets: Easter Basket Idea for Teenagers

Easter Baskets for Teens
Easter is awesome. And while I don't want to lose sight of celebrating our Lord Jesus rising from the grave, I do have to admit I have an obsession with the more commercial Easter traditions. When my girls were little, we would dye eggs, gobble chocolate bunnies, and I would dress them in brand new, fluffy pink and purple gowns, parading them for all the world to see. Eventually those poufy dresses gave way to more modest skirts, then slacks and even blue jeans as my little girls became teenagers.

While the dresses have gone away, one thing does not change, and that is the need for the Easter basket. In times past, the Easter basket was a thing of magic and wonder, filled to the brim with delicious candies, chocolate bunnies, and toys that signaled the end of a cold and snowy Iowa winter and the ushering in of warmer days... toys like jump ropes, bubbles, and sidewalk chalk.

Eventually, though, my girls outgrew such toys and suddenly the conundrum of the Easter basket was upon me. What to do? We couldn't afford to fill a basket with movie tickets and i-phones. Even make-up can be expensive when you multiply it times two. A little online research produced some fun ideas.

I bought two packs of soda, orange and grape Crush, and removed three bottles from each. Yes, I gave them to the Easter Bunny. No reason the Bunny shouldn't have a little fun, too. Then I filled the empty slots with Easter grass and goodies. These included things like:

• new funky socks
• inexpensive jewelry
• nail polish
• gum
• candy
• fruit leather
• and of course, a chocolate bunny

I wrapped it all up with a bow on top.

Of course, the "baskets" were a big hit when they were discovered outside the girls' doors bright and early on Easter morning. And while I couldn't convince my teens to wear poufy pink and purple dresses, I didn't have much trouble persuading them to gobble up those chocolate bunnies. Some things never change.

Makin' Sweaters into Pillows

Maybe you've seen them. Those awesome Pinterest pins of cozy winter rooms. A fireplace glowing and crackling. The mantle perfectly arranged with knick knacks. There is a plush white sofa and a chippy coffee table with a tray of steaming cocoa cups loaded with whip cream and sprinkles. A faux fur throw is draped artfully over one arm of the sofa and nestled in each corner is an awesome pillow that looks like your favorite sweater.

I admit it. Pinterest is a source of jealousy for me. I don't like to covet, but I just HAD to have those sweater pillows.

I don't know what they cost at the store. They're probably not all that much. But being a DIY-er means blood, sweat and tears, baby! We don't buy pillows at Pottery Barn. We MAKE them!

Or we die trying!

So, I was at a local thrift store, browsing the sweater section and WOW. They had LOTS of sweaters that fit the bill for a nice, cozy, wintery pillow. I grabbed two that I liked (size XL... I recommend larger if you want anything even remotely cuddle-sized). They were a nice, warm vanilla ice-cream color that is pretty much my favorite color for ANYTHING in decorating.

I also purchased two ugly, ruffly 80s pillows for less than three bucks. I needed a filler pillow, and these frilly guys were NEVER going to find a home unless I took them.

I brought my sweaters home and proceeded to chop them up with the enormous fabric scissors my hubby unearthed for me in the basement... or the "underhouse" as I like to call it. These primitive metal blades are like fine weaponry for a seamstress. They hacked through those thick, knitted sweaters like a hot knife through butter. You will want good scissors for this because bad ones will leave you with a pile of loose threads.

Once I got a roughly square-shaped couple of pieces, I took them to my sewing machine and made quick work of 3.25 sides. I left a gap on that fourth side big enough to stuff my dismantled pillow into. Then, many, many days later (because I'm a procrastinator), I hand-sewed that fourth side shut.

The results weren't quite as majestic as I had hoped. The pillows are a bit wonky, but they are certainly cuddly... and cute enough to pull out at Christmas-time and through the bleak January-February months. They will likely go away in the springtime and come back before the turkey is cold on Thanksgiving.

The biggest lesson I took away from this is that an XL sweater does not make a very large pillow. I think next time I'll look for a bigger filler pillow and maybe try to use the WHOLE sweater, sans arms.

But otherwise, I kinda love these cozy little guys. How 'bout you?

 

Want more home projects?

Check out my blog post about making your home look like your Pinterest Boards:

Christmas at What's On My Porch

Hey all! The cold. The snow. And it's only November! Still, who can resist decorating for Christmas when it's so Christmasy outside?! I think this is the earliest our family has ever had our tree up!

We splurged on a real tree this year. I thought it was a GREAT idea until I remembered it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet. And somehow we'll have to keep this thing alive for another month and half. No idea how we'll keep it watered while we're out of town for Thanksgiving. Oh, the joys of wishful thinking.

When I decorate for Christmas, I like to do it ALL in a day. I make politely implore Hubby to drag up four or five boxes of "Christmas Stuff" from the deep, dark, spidery recesses of the Underhouse. Then I sift through it all, picking out items that will go with my theme (and a few favorites that always go up, theme or not). Once everything is up (5-6 hours later). I pack up the rest and send it back to the basement. At least, that's how it's supposed to work. The boxes are still upstairs for some reason.



This year's theme was "Woodland" but my daughter said it reminded her of the North Pole. So, now it's "North Pole Woods". Browse through these pics of my house for some Christmas inspiration! Enjoy!

A basket full of lights, balls, pinecones and bows is EASY and pretty!

Hang ornaments from a chandelier with some ribbon. The matching color unifies these so they're not too gaudy.

I cup up some old faux pine garland and made it into individual wreaths for all my windows!



Mini tree=thrift store. And "JOY" letters were purchased at Walmart and painted by ME! :)

Fill a wire basket with lights, faux pine garland, and mini-books and presents wrapped in vintage sheet music! So cute!

I made these graphic stockings myself. *Except the far left stocking, my youngest daughter made hers herself! You can see more about these here.

This little bird has made his way into our Christmas tree since my teenagers were babies!

My old "junk" ladder is all done up for Christmas!

An old silver tea set, mercury glass ornaments, pine boughs from our tree, cones, and a splash of red berries make a pretty centerpiece... all fit nicely into a shabby wood tray.

 

Everything in this picture was a secondhand purchase: tree, lantern, suitcase, bunny... even the cabinet and old window in the background. I LOVE thrift stores!

This bunny piggy bank is PERFECT for our North Pole Woodland theme!

Decorate A Vintage Ladder!

Hey Porch fans! The cooler weather makes it harder and harder to get any big projects done, but it doesn't mean I can't still have a little fun!

Today's easy-peasy project is to decorate an old ladder! Hubby picked up this dumpster-find for me, and I LOVE it! It's just a weathered vintage wood step ladder, but it has so much decorating potential!

For autumn, I chose an assortment of baskets and filled each with autumny goodness: a colorful leaf garland, pumpkins, even shredded brown paper. It all works so great together!

It would look great with REAL leaves, pumpkins, apples, etc., too!

Can't wait to change out my ladder for the seasons. Up next: CHRISTMAS! ;)