Family Room Built Ins

Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over Fireplace

Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen

Happy New Year! I am finally sharing our Family Room Built-Ins that we did last spring! These family room photos were taken after our kitchen reveal because both rooms are connected, so I didn’t want to share these photos until after our kitchen was completed. But once the kitchen was completed, the holiday postings got in the way. Sooo, that is why I am finally sharing the before and afters of our family room built ins with a TV over a fireplace in the new year!

Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen

Originally in the family room, it was just the stone fireplace and the side walls were bumped out for a bookcase or armoire. It was the perfect set up for custom built-ins. At first we were thinking we’d just put floating shelves, but I was used to having storage in my old family room and a bookcase to display artwork and family photos. In fact, storage was becoming a problem so custom built-ins were the perfect solution.

Here are the BEFORE pictures of our family room:

This is a picture from the real estate listing

We found an independent contractor carpenter to custom built our cabinetry. I feel like this is the way to go to get a clean, simple look. I provided the designs to him and brought it to life. If you go to my Pinterest page, you can see some of my inspirational family rooms.

Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen

What I love about our family built ins is the amount of storage they provide! They also hide all of our electronics and wires for the TV and surround sounds. Once the cabinets were painted Benjamin Moore Super White, it brightened up the entire room, and it bounces off the white walls. The light from the sliding glass doors brought in so much light. I also love that it make the room much larger. I was concerned that it would make the room feel smaller, but it actually did the opposite by bringing the eye up to the ceiling. Our family room feels so much larger!

Here are some views from our kitchen:

Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen
Before + After of our Family Room Built Ins with TV over fireplace, Family Room Makeover, Family Room built ins remodel, renovation || Darling Darleen

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A Year in Home Renovations

Home Renovations Marked our 2019 Year

Happy New Year!! As I look back at 2019, it was a year in home renovations and maintenance. The year of 2018 was the year we moved from Georgia back to Connecticut, and 2019 was the year we REALLY got to know our new (but old) home very well–the good, the bad and the ugly. We began the year of embarking on painting our entire house inside and out. We renovated our kitchen and two bathrooms. Wallpapered five rooms. Landscaped our backyard. We updated our family room with built-in cabinets. Decorated the whole inside of the house (many rooms to share this upcoming year). And let’s also mention the many, many things that needed to be fixed in the house–leaky roof, broken A/C, broken heater, broken water heater, broken garage door, interior doors that wouldn’t shut, clogged gutters, broken sprinkler system, broken oven & refrigerator, clogged exterior drainage, broken sump pump for our basement, changing out all of the houses light bulbs, maintaining and cleaning out three fire places–the list really goes on and on. This are things that keep the house running but also are the less-pretty things that cost a lot of money and never get mentioned.

By the time we were done with dumping a ton of money into our house this year, we probably could of built a new one! But thankfully I have a handy husband you knows a lot about fixing and repairing equipment. So, we did save a lot of money that way. Many people know when you embark on numerous home renovation projects and is the designated person in charge, you need to plan vacations cordially with the renovations schedule and be present when needed. So this year we had to say “no” to some family vacations and then plan family vacations when we needed to be out of the house. I would say if you plan to renovate a home, make sure you have a renovation calendar to know when everything needs to be scheduled, and how that lines up to with your family schedule.

In January, I shared how I wallpapered my daughter’s room with removable wallpaper.

In March we completed our powder bathroom makeover, which we completed gutted and refinished with new tile, vanity, paint and wallpaper.

In May, we added two huge book shelves to our family room. I will post before and afters in the next few weeks!

In July, we did painted the entire exterior of our house and added landscape to our backyard.

In August, I shared my entire home buying process with Apartment Therapy.

By October, I finally shared my boy’s bold bedroom and also shared a beginner’s guide to wallpapering.

And by November, I finally revealed my kitchen renovations that we had been working on all summer long! So nice to finally have a working kitchen before the holidays.

And the many things that I didn’t publish were wallpapering another daughters bedroom, painting and decorating my office, tiling our jack and Jill bathroom, renovating our attic. I hope to reveal these rooms in 2020!

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Bold Tween Boys Bedroom

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror || Darling Darleen

Moving into our new house, I knew I needed to get my boys room in tip top shape sooner than later. Well, here are at a year later. Sooner couldn’t come sooner! What I knew before I began was that I wanted to change up my boys room from our last house, while still using the same furniture and elements. Since it’s the first bedroom you see at the top of the stairs, I wanted the room to be a bold tween boys bedroom with some fun styling like the plaid wallpaper. This was one of the walls in the house that I wallpapered, and now I want to wallpaper all the rooms! You can see the DIY for wallpapering and how easy it is. The wallpaper is actually from the Hearth and Hand Magnolia line at Target, which is sold out, but I linked a similar style. I also wanted the bedroom to have a cleaner and more sophisticated look, so that’s why I went with the bold, dark gray Benjamin Moore paint called Amherst Gray.

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen

Plaid Wallpaper (similar) | Black Twin Beds (similar) | DIY Basket Light Fixture (Similar) | Striped Comforter Cover | Navy Quilt | Gold Swing Light Fixtures | Blue throw Pillow | Yellow throw Pillow | Yellow Storage Cubes | Rug | Cabinet Chest

The Before—

This is a picture from the house listing. So you can see the before colors were putty brown and sky blue. With the paint and the bold wallpaper and the position of the furniture, the room looks larger.

The After–

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen
Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen

An easy refresh to a bedroom is changing out the bedding for a different style and using different throw pillows. We did just that–I used the same bedding but switched out the duvet covers to the modern farmhouse striped and bought new throw pillows. The swing arm lamp above each bed is a fun element, and my boys love it because they end up reading in bed prior to sleep. These swing arm lamps just plug in and I used a black cord cover for a sleeker look.

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen

Round Hanging Mirror | Black Globe | Zinc Metal Letters

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen
Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen
Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen

Boys Will be Boys Art |New York Print | Leaves Art | Bronco Art Print

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen
Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen

This bookcase has been so great to hold all my boys’ books. I actually have to go through and clean it often to remove books they have already read. We also use it to display their sport trophies, toys and baby pictures.

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen
Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen
Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen

Bookcase | Roman Shades | Black S-Chair | White desk | Floating Shelves | Atlanta Print | Blue Rocking Chair | DIY Mudcloth Pillow (similar)

Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen
Bold Tween Boys Bedroom with Twin Beds and Plaid Wallpaper with Lamps Over Headboard and mirror. Floating gallery wall and basket pendant light add texture to the bedroom || Darling Darleen

Home Trends Woven + Cane

New Series: Splurge vs Budget! Home Edition for Woven and Cane home trends

New Series: Splurge vs. Budget Home edition! Huge home trends of woven and cane and rattan materials from chairs to beds to chandelier! Sharing splurge vs budget friendly home trends woven + cane . || Darling Darleen
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Hey Friends! I am excited to do a new series called Splurge vs. Budget because I am always trying to find a deal and a way to get clothes and furniture for less! It’s such an awesome feeling when you score on an item! I actually have a lot of friends and family who reach out and ask me to find home items they love within their budget. Most of the time I have success and find an alternate option that is very similar and for much less. Often times the quality is the same, so don’t be deceive that more expensive means that it is a better quality. I’ve been obsessed with the home trends of woven and cane furniture pieces, which includes rattan. The textured items take on an old tradition, but keeps the furniture light and modern especially with clean modern lines.

Since I am doing this new Splurge vs Budget series, I thought it was appropriate to have a Home Goods Giveaway! Make sure to sign up below!

$650 Homegoods Giveaway

Time to treat yourself to some Fall shopping at Homegoods!
I’ve teamed up with a group of bloggers to give one lucky winner
a chance to win a $650 Homegoods Gift Card!

To enter: complete the steps in the rafflecopter below. The more steps you complete,
the more entries you receive, and the better your chance at winning!
This giveaway runs until Tuesday, October 22nd at 12am PST

Winner will be announced here. Good Luck!
*this giveaway is in no way sponsored by Homegoods.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Easy Spring Updates to Your Home

5 Easy Spring Updates to Your Home that won’t Break the Budget

I don’t know about you but when the warm weather rolls in and the grass gets greener and the spring flowers show up, I start to get the spring cleaning itch. Usually the spring cleaning itch involves not only cleaning and organizing, but also updating the home with a fresh spring feel. I’ve done a few posts on spring updates to your kitchen and bookcase, but I thought this year I’d do 5 easy spring updates to your home. They are simple and budget friendly, but will add color and will cheer up your space!

Fresh Flowers and Foliage

This one is so easy! Go pick up some spring flowers from your local market. They are usually priced really well during this time because all the spring flowers are blooming. Or if it’s a possibility, cut flowers from your yard. I usually like to do one large bouquet of flowers and then smaller flower sprigs in candle holders and place them on end tables and bathroom counters. Don’t forget about all the spring branches that are blooming. Those are a favorite for bring in doors.

Add a pop of color with New Pillows

Pillows are an easy way to a spring update on your sofa and living room space. They add a pop of color or simply add a new home trend to a bland space. I try to get pillows in pairs for balance in home design. If you want to keep your home minimal, then update with lighter or neutral pillows. Pillows can get expensive but there are many great alternatives that are easy on the pocket.

Change Around Your Artwork

Changing around your artwork is an easy spring update to your home. You can change framed artwork and replace with floral postcards or prints or wallpaper prints. I love supporting local artists so I always treat myself to a new original painting every year and the best time to do that is during the spring. Etsy always has great original artwork.

Buy A New Vase Or Home Decor Item

I love to head to Home Goods to find something new to place on an end table or my built-in bookcase. They have a great selection of fun home decor items that are usually under $20. I also love Target OpalHouse and World Market. You can usually find a cute new vase, candle holder or tray for your coffee table.

Change Your Furniture Around

Many people get stuck in their ways, but sometimes a room will open up and feel more inviting when furniture is changed around. I’m not talking about huge changes, just subtle changes like moving a chair in your dining room to the living room. Or moving an end table to another location. You will be amazed how much you love it or hate it! My kids are always voicing what they like and don’t like, but it’s fun to change rooms up a bit.

Updating Living Space for Fall

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Updating Living Space for Fall

I just packed up some of my coastal, summery home decorations to embrace the cooler months ahead.  By adding a few cozy warm touches to the home makes a big impact for updating a living space for Fall.  Just a few simple items are needed when updating a living space for fall.  I like to keep the colors somewhat natural so when Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas comes around it’s easy to incorporate the holiday decorations.  This year I am loving the touch of navy that I’ve seen around the design world.  So I decided to add navy to my living space to warm up the wintery whites.  I’m feeling like navy should be reclassified as a neutral.  Who’s with me on that??  Anyway, the best way to update living space for fall is with the use of pillows!  It’s simple and inexpensive.  Recently, I took a couple of old pillows and had them reupholstered with inexpensive navy fabric that I found at a discount store.  My upholsterer only charged me $28 per pillow.  Not bad on the price!

I also added a few other pillows to balance off the pillow sizes.  The navy and white quilted pillows on the two sofas are so gorgeous and add a fun pattern to the mix.  Theses quilted pillows are handmade by ModernStitch.sb , and they have a fun collection of beautiful patterned quilted pillows.  When updating living space for Fall using pillows, look for pillows that have texture and heavy fabric like flannel or wool.  Don’t forget to add throws to your copper blanket ladder or over the sofa.

Another way to update the living space for fall, is adding cozy touches to the mantle.  I added a variety of pumpkins to my mantle, and I am loving the simple look.  Some of the pumpkins are from DIYs that I did last year like the fabric pumpkins and tissue paper pumpkins.  These are both an easy and simple craft for a big statement.  I also hung modern wreaths over some of the mirrors I have around the house.  With a simple wreath you can easily had wintery white during the later season.

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For my shelves and tabletops, I traded in my coastal shells and coral figurines for white and mercury pumpkins.  It was an easy replacement because the coastal items were also white.  I also added white pumpkins and moss to glass display jars to decorate the end tables and console.

And last but not least I decided to layer my rugs to add warmth and a little bit of color.  The traditional rug ties in the navy hues while still keeping it neutral.  It will be easy to play up the rug with the pinks for the Christmas season.

How do you update a living space for Fall?

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