It's been awhile since I've posted any home updates. This full-time teaching thing sure can slow a lady down!

You may have read in an earlier post - the previous owner of our home painted the entire interior of the home and installed new carpet before listing. Unfortunately, I did not care for the paint color or the carpet. There was A LOT of creamy yellow paint, A LOT of cheap beige carpet, and A LOT of 90's reddish-brown stained wood goin' on. Not my thang..

Below are some {BEFORE} shots from our first showing. I spy Mr. Place!

We first had the entire foyer professionally painted in SW Repose Gray. I painted the railings black, the spindles white, and some of the brown trim that remained to SW Pure White. We also relocated the wiring for the hanging light fixture to be centered in the entire foyer and purchased a new one. 

I really thought I wanted a wooden staircase. You know all those gorgeous photos you see on Pinterest or Houzz of dark, pretty, CLEAN treads? Yeah. Those people don't own dogs. Or have kids. None of them. All it took was about 24 hours of three kids and a big lab living on just 1/2 of an uncarpeted stairway to change my mind. Let's just say, our sweet labrador, Louie, was NOT a fan of the wood stair treads. Holy moly. There were some mornings that I thought he broke a leg walking downstairs. Well - that made my job much easier.

MUST. HAVE.CARPET. 

The three photos show the process of refinishing the small portion of our stairway that would be exposed. Our treads were only stained on the outer 1/3, as the rest has always been covered up with carpet ever since the home was built in the late 80s. I used a chemical stripper and then two electric sanders to strip the treads. Luckily, it was pretty fast and easy, since it was just about 1/4 of the steps. 

​The left photo is a close-up of the previous stain color (top portion of photo) and our new stain (lower portion of photo) with a sliver of the white spindles and treads showing. The new stain was a mix of about 75% Jacobean and 25% Classic Gray. The middle photo shows the plywood landing. The photo on the right is the newly painted white risers and the stained treads.

Some other {BEFORE} photos. 

New carpet below! And buyers - shop around! I went to two stores in town and the second quote was about $600 less than the first for nearly the same carpet. The left side is flush with the board & batten wall and the right side is edged with gray binding. Louie is one happy dog!

Isn't amazing what paint and new lighting can do for a space?

Let's face it. My husband and I know our limits. While we love DIY projects, we know very well what we can and (more importantly) cannot do. All I can say is, thank you All Pro Renovations for saving our marriage. This master bathroom transformation could not have happened without Todd and his incredible crew. My husband and I have NEVER done plumbing. We have NEVER done cement board. We have NEVER even touched a wet saw. Although I can say...I have fantasized about operating a wet saw...many times. True story.

It all began with us wanting to relocate the washer and dryer from the main level laundry room up to the second level. There was room for laundry in our master closet and we wanted to have a larger mudroom on the main level. So, shortly after moving in the house in May of 2016, we purchased a new washer and dryer and moved it on upstairs. In order to complete the plumbing, the master bathtub had to be removed. In doing so, some tiles were accidentally cracked. So, we went ahead and trashed that big, bad boy jacuzzi tub and have been looking at a RAW PLYWOOD HOLE in our bathroom for over a year. It was just lovely. Insert eye roll emoji here...

My husband suggested I pop a love seat right in there and call that "my space." Ha! So pretty, huh? Below are some other "before" photos of our bathroom. 

We came up with a list of WANTS for our bathroom. They were:

1. To do something about the raw hole in the room where a jacuzzi tub had been. Gross.
2. Move the lovely toilet that was "floating" in the center of the wall.
3. Close off the huge double doors that open up into the bathroom, leading to the master closet/laundry.
4. Create a larger shower.

I began looking around on Pinterest for inspiration and knew I wanted a "modern farmhouse" design in the gray/white/black color scheme.

It's all in the details! Photos below: left - custom his/hers/soap + razor niche boxes; center - recessed Kohler medicine cabinets with mirrors; right - view of shower tile and matte black shower head. We gained over a foot of shower space utilizing the entire nook, which is incredible!

And did you know that Costco sells bath tubs as well? Nope? Me neither! I do have to say, I have bathed in it once and it really was glorious. But my kiddos are even more in love with the new freestanding Ove Decors Noah tub. We have had to create a bathing schedule so each one can have their own private "bath night." Ha! I found the circular mirror at our Mishawaka Homegoods for $99. The cute light fixture came from Joss & Main. We purchased our glass shower door locally through Midwest Glass Company. I love the addition of the black handle and hardware on that, too! The wall-mounted bathtub faucet was purchased from Build.com and the black cast iron curtain rod on the window is from Pottery Barn.

The photo below shows some custom wall art created by my children in their art classes this fall. They are charcoal drawings and are even more beautiful up close! You can also see a portion of the sliding barn door that my husband built that leads into the master closet & laundry. 

Below shows a before + after of the vanity area. Removing the soffit really opened it up!

I can't WAIT until the gray + white interior design trend goes completely out of style, so I can redecorate my entire house. Again. Ha! Kidding...sort of. 

Around here, summer = project time. The school year ended on June 8, which means that I have time to tackle some things off of my to-do list {when I'm not chauffeuring my kiddos to & from camps, lessons, practices and games, that is}.

The upstairs kids' bathroom was pretty neutral when we bought the home a year ago and we knew a complete bathroom gut job was not in the budget. So, we simply made some easy cosmetic updates which have brightened up the space a ton! I'm not in love with the existing tile or countertops, but with the change in color tones, I can now live with them! 

As you can tell, the vanity and countertops are original, as is the tub/shower (not pictured here). So this is a great example of how a little paint and lots of time can go a long way! 

Updates made:

• replaced the baseboards (SO incredibly easy to DIY if you own a miter saw)
• fresh coat of wall paint (SW Alabaster and SW Granite Peak)
• installed bead board paneling and caulk
• fresh coat of paint on baseboards, bead board and vanity (SW ProClassic in Pure White)
• replaced original toilet
• framed out builder grade mirror with 1x2" rustic gray barn wood trim from Home Depot
• added hooks for towels
• painted interior of window white
• added a window cornice with fabric from fabric.com
• replaced new knobs and pulls on vanity
• added wall art

Below is the bead board paneling installation before trim and caulk. 

Below are other photos up close. 

Custom graphic prints in frames.

Below is the mirror before framing and then afterwards. 

And voila! Bathroom is bright & airy!

I have to say - the older homes in Knollwood are so incredibly well built and most are bursting with character. SO many of them. That "character" just happens to date back into the mid to late 1980s for many of them. But with a little vision, time and some patience - those characteristics that make homes beautiful and unique can be completely updated to 2016 in a snap.

When I went to the showing for our new home in Quail Ridge South, I fell in love with the family room space. It was big enough for our family and current furniture, it had oodles of character, it was an open floor plan connecting with the kitchen. And bonus: it had an incredible view of the golf course! BUT, one incredible wall that had all the character was a sea of brown. Everywhere. Dark, drab brown. 

As soon as we moved in, my sister and her family drove in from Illinois to help us with the house. And the VERY first project I said we were going to tackle was WHITE WASHING THE BRICK WALL. It was fun, it was easy and it made a HUGE impact. We are thrilled with the results!

Before moving in, we had new hardwood flooring installed on most of the first level. In the family room, I was envisioning hardwoods with a soft rug to create some texture for a casual & comfy space. I also envisioned a less formal, more rustic mantel, a TV hung above the fireplace, and darker wood shelving that would "pop" more with the newly painted brick.

For the brick wall, my sister first vacuumed the wall and then wiped it down with a vinegar/water mixture. I ended up mixing 50% white flat paint (just inexpensive stuff, nothing fancy) with 50% water and brushing 2 swipes on each brick, being careful not to paint or drip on the mortar. The mortar was gray, which I loved, so we were careful. Once I started in the lower right corner and realized how incredibly easy it was to paint, I passed the paintbrushes on to my 7 year old son and my 14 year old niece. They painted the lower portion while I did the high portion on a ladder. I think the entire wall took us about 2 hours or so. IT WAS FUN + EASY! We also changed the wall paint from a creamy yellow to SW Repose Gray and painted the trim with a fresh coat of SW ProClassic Paint in Pure White. The shelves and mantel are stained in Minwax Ebony. To see the plans we used to build our mantel, click here. Super easy + only $15. 

The photo below on the left is what the room looked like a few years back. I think the owners before us removed the beams and drywalled over the wood paneling on the walls. The photo on the right is what it looked like when we purchased the home in May. 

Let the white-washing begin...

Flooring: We ended up removing the railing that divided the eating area and family room and then installing traditional red oak hardwood flooring to match the existing flooring in the kitchen. I went with a stain mixture of 50% Jacobean and 50% Classic Gray. I didn't want to go dark with owning a light yellow lab who sheds ALL.THE.TIME. My husband gives me a hard time about the stain color because in the end, it is just a shade of brown hardwood flooring. Ha ha! In my mind though, I see hints of rustic gray here + there, which makes me a happy girl. 

So if you're ever thinking about painting brick - don't be afraid. It will be well worth it!

At last! Our beloved Chicago Cubs capture their first title in 108 years! Wednesday, November 2, 2016, (and into the wee hours of November 3) was a day we will never forget. Ever. And to be sure, we documented it over here at the Utz house. If any of you use a file box or folders or any sort of organization system to save work samples of your children, then this is one you may to add it it. 

The above samples are from my 6 and 7 year olds. They were super excited to stay up late last Wednesday (before falling asleep on the couch) to watch the big game! Even though it was almost a week ago now, you could relive the incredible game with them to complete this keepsake. Click here to download your copy and print at home for personal use.

​You may have your child include: his/her age/grade/school/teacher; where he/she was watching the game; what he/she was doing; how he/she felt, etc.

This was the year! 

My kitchen cabinets turned 30 this year! That sentence alone tells you that they were in need of some serious love.

When we moved into our new home, we prioritized the updates that we wanted to do. Since a full-blown kitchen remodel was clearly not happening any time soon, I had to think of a way to be happy in my space. After all, families spend most of time in the kitchen! One of the previous owners had updated the countertops, back splash and appliances about 8 or so years ago. And while I wasn't a huge fan of the colors and tones, I thought I'd be able to make it all work.

I was digging around on Pinterest and found a post from my favorite gals at Shanty 2 Chic who had posted a cabinet paint color with countertops that had similar shades as ours. Enter in: Anonymous by Sherwin Williams. It's sort of a muddy gray with green undertones. Click here to see the link to this gorgeous kitchen and their incredible vent hood.

For the cabinet painting, I first removed all hardware. Next, I cleaned all of the cabinetry with vinegar + water, followed up by a quick rub of Zinsser paint deglosser. Then I filled each top screw hole with wood filler on all of the doors that were going to be switched from pulls to knobs and sanded them smooth. Next came primer, then 2-3 coats of SW ProClassic paint in satin finish. I LOVE this finish! No top coat/poly necessary!

Below are some more "before" photos.

The kitchen was dark and needed to be brightened up. My chosen paint colors:
Trim: SW Pure White
Walls: SW Alabaster
Cabinets: SW Anonymous - ProClassic trim & door paint in satin finish
Island: SW Urbane Bronze

​And now for some close-up "after" shots...

I "beefed" up our island a bit with pine trim that I stained, cut and attached to add some rustic texture to the room. 

And thank goodness for Target. How cute are those handle pulls? They can be found here. There were also  matching knobs that can be found here. And believe me - the price is right! I purchased three of their Napa Distressed stools, which fit perfectly under our island counter. Those can be found here. 

And this sweet faux cotton wreath...scored it at our new Homegoods here in Mishawaka. SO excited that we have that store here now! 

Brighter kitchen? Mission accomplished. These cabinets may see a couple more birthdays after all. :)

Making progress...one room at a time! 

Our new house has a great space - a three season sun porch. We have loved being able to eat "outdoors" without the pesky mosquitos or flies annoying us...but we knew this room needed some love. 

Here are some "before" photos from our showing. There was some dated indoor/outdoor carpet, original brown siding/wood and a very dated, rusty ceiling fan light fixture.

Featuring Mr. Place & Miss Rylie...scoping things out for mama...hee hee!

This sun porch is not huge, by any stretch...in fact it's teeny. But we are able to fit our outdoor table/chairs, a couple of planters and a wooden cooler in there, creating a warm + cozy space where we can eat meals together. 

This room was pretty dark and dreary, so I needed to transform it into a more cheerful and welcoming space. I painted the wood walls and red brick on both sides of the sliding door with a white exterior paint. We replaced the carpet with a large gray tile and lastly replaced the ceiling fan with a rustic light fixture. This room has become SO much brighter and more inviting! 

The photo below on the left is a close up of what the brick looked like. The photo on the right is with a coat of primer. It took one coat of primer + two coats of paint...and it's still not complete coverage, but it works for me.

​Above left: Birch branches in a corner wrapped in white lights were added for extra light + warmth.
Above middle: ​Rustic, shuttered mirrors and planters from our old house are placed on each side of the sliding door.
Above right: Our "This is our happy place" sign from our patio at our old house was a perfect addition to this room.

It's amazing what paint & light fixtures can do to a room! 

Our classroom. Ha! That's the name my husband has given to our updated home office. Is it the red chairs? The globe? Oh well. The important thing is that we now have a bright, TV-free practical work space for homework and projects. Mission accomplished!

This office in our new home was left the original brown, likely to be a more "formal" office space. There is absolutely nothing "formal" about my family's lifestyle. So immediately, I knew we had to brighten it up and make it a functional, usable room in our home. 

The first thing we did was replace the carpet with hardwood flooring. HUGE difference. Next came the priming, then the caulking, then the painting. Then more paint. Then some more paint. Oh my goodness...lots of coats. If anyone came by and asked what they could do to help, I placed a paintbrush in their hand and sent them to the office. I used SW ProClassic in 7005 Pure White for the trim & cabinetry and SW 6250 Granite Peak for the wall paint. 

Replacing hardware was a must and also adds an inexpensive update. I selected some brushed nickel hardware from the Martha Stewart line at Home Depot. There was no lighting in the office, so we added some cute brushed nickel wall sconces to each side of the French doors. Love them!

And my favorite thing about the room...artwork created by my kids. Kudos to the St. Joe and Prairie Vista art teachers - love it! Popped it in some white, matted frames from Michaels and filled an entire wall!

Up next...painting the two French doors. Ugh. Stay tuned...