Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts

Sunday, April 19, 2015

5 Ways to Make Your House a Home

We recently moved into my parents old home. It's an adorable little 1940s house sitting on 10 acres of lush green land. I have fallen in love with the home, & it helps that most of my high school memories cultivated inside this house.

Growing up, it was home. It was loud. It was warm, It was loving. It was the central hub for all of our family gatherings. But once it was a blank slate, I was lost. I had no idea how to remake this house into a home for my own family.


  1. Monogram it.
    Nothing screams "THIS IS MINE!" like having your initials plastered everywhere. However, too many monograms can clash with the flow of your home, but in light doses a single monogram can go a long way.
              *Tip:If you're looking for a simple statement outside, opt for a garden flag or a hanging monogram for your porch.
  2. Create a "Command Center."

    With the hustle and bustle of every day life, it seems only rational to have a little place in your home that is the Grand Central Station of your home. Whether it is hidden under the stairs - as ours is!-, nestled into a bookshelf, or spaced across an entire wall; it is important to have a spot in your home designated for all of the important information that needs to be communicated between one another.
              *Tip: If your command center is overrun with papers, add a tray, binder, or folder for quick declutter.
  3. Make ordinary objects seem important.

    We all have what I like to call "ugly stuff." Ugly stuff is what you want no one else to see, the items you keep tucked away in a cabinet because it isn't something you would normally display. Bring those bad boys out. After all, it is YOUR home. Isn't it more convenient if those dishwasher detergent tabs are sitting right on the counter top? Just make them pretty. Place them in a mason jar and nestle them towards the back of the counter.. Kitchen decor or kitchen necessity? Both!
              *Tip: You can also display your liquid soap by placing inside a oil & vinegar cruet or your powder detergent by placing inside an air-tight jar with scoop.
  4. Stash family photos all throughout the house.
    Don't you want to show off that cute little family you made? Or maybe you'd like to show off all those pets you have that act as children? Tuck photos in every nook and cranny of your home. What's better to show off than yourself, your children, and their accomplishments? Family photos will make your home seem more inviting and full of love; everyone loves love!
              *Tip: Try setting aside a wall in your home that is covered in photos. While most opt for placing photos down a long hallway, placing your photos in a great room or living room gives all of your guests the opportunity to see your beautiful pictures.
  5. Create a coffee bar.

    If you're a coffee lover, why not make a special nook for your favorite morning cup? All you need is to dedicate a small counter space to all things coffee - Hail to the Coffee! Display your coffee grounds and favorite mix-ins in adorable glass jars beside your coffee maker to add your own special touch.
              *Tip: If you own a Keurig, add a small lazy susan for easy access to your k-cups.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

DIY Inexpensive Under Cabinet Lighting

The last few weeks we've been prepping our new house to move in!  We have reconfigured rooms (dining room to living room, living room to master bedroom, bonus room to walk-in dressing room), added wood to walls, stained stairs, & my parents even had a new kitchen floor installed!


While my lovely husband has been doing most of the heavy duty work, I've been keeping myself busy by adding small touches that help bring life throughout the home. One of my most recent endeavors.. extra lighting under the cabinets.

I was browsing Pinterest.com when I came across an adorable post that had a tutorial of how to install under cabinet lights with wiring. Well, I'm not that skilled. I also like to keep things cheap. So I made a quick trip to Walmart and decided to stroll down the lighting isle to see what our options were. I found a really awesome LED light bar with a remote control, but it was still too expensive for my taste. A glance down at the bottom shelf revealed this precious gem..


Tap lights! How neat.. I could control which lights I needed and turn them off and on accordingly. But how to attach them underneath each cabinet without destroying the cabinet, light, and causing a huge mess? Velcro strips. Simply attach a velcro strip to the light and another to the cabinet and there you have it!

The best part? They are removable. Something I had never considered before, but can definitely come in handy. If the electricity goes out, if you lose your flashlight; just pop this bad boy off of the cabinet and you've got yourself a handy helper!

Not bad for a pack of $4 lights and $2 Velcro strips.