WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH 550 SQUARE FEET?

Today is Nate Day! What does that mean? Well, there is about 100 bloggers blogging and tweeting about the oh so talented Nate Berkus!

Nate Berkus is known to many as the designer “discovered” by Oprah. He has done so many before and afters on the show with nothing less than stellar results. But, one of my all time favorite before and afters was of his own Manhattan apartment. Nate Berkus took an uninspiring 550 sq. ft. apartment and turned it into a swanky New York Bachelors pad!

Take a look at the before and afters

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen (and that oh so cutie patoot Nate!)

The Master Bedroom (Do you notice the High Gloss blue doors?)

Office (Yes, he managed to squeeze in a work space!)

More High gloss Blue!

I love how he painted the entire space white (even the floors!). And then took it from there with color. The Blue doors seal the deal for me too! With a space this small, you can’t help but have only the bare necessities and a limited color palette.

Here a link to Oprah’s website to check out a video of him talking about how he transformed the space

What is your favorite space by Nate? How has he inspired you in your own home?

Happy Nate Day!

CHECK ME OUT!

Hi Everyone! Today I'm filling in for Emily

And I'll be talking about my favorite room. can you guess what it is?!

If not, go check it it out! If so, I still want you to go check me out;-)

Have a great weekend!

MY LITTLE HELPER

So you know I’ve jumped into putting together a room for my oldest son. Well, did you know that he is a great helper? TJ is the one who ALWAYS ask: “Can I help you mom?” when he see me doing anything. So to no surprise, when I started prepping his room for paint, he quickly jumped into action and asked “can I help?”! Usually, when I paint, I’ll tell him that this is something he can’t do, but this time was different. I figured it is his room and since he is the ONLY one that EVER asks if I need help, I’ll let him take a swing at the prepping part.

Look at the help I received

He is the real deal, huh? Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this much help. We had so much fun doing this together. We talked about a little of this and a little of that and it was great!

Stay tuned for the paint color!

Oh, and if you follow me on twitter, you’ll get up to the minute updates!

IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED

The boys playroom was a fun project for me to work on. At the time, it was the best idea too, but it was short lived by little kids who yearned to be free. Free from being in just one room.

Free from a playroom that I had grown to like. Although the blue was electric

It was also fun

I’m going to miss how the boys use to throw these chairs at each other when they were frustrated….

And how Bren put their magnetic letters in the VCR and ruined it

Oh, and how the easel was turned over and used as a slide most days

Sigh….

I’m going to miss this little room. It was fun while it lasted…

…NOT!!!

SHIPPING PALETTES?

Remember the inspiration for TJ’s room?

What really sold me on the space (other than the rugby stripe duvet), was the headboard. Originally, I was planning on making an upholstered headboard. But then I thought about the palettes in the photo. I think it would be perfect for him and it could give the room that rustic element that I like. Of course I’d have to sand them and add some type of top coat, but isn’t this a great idea?

Check out these other projects that can be created with shipping palettes

Daybed via

palette mirror via

coffee table via

Dish racks via

What do you think? These are some of the coolest repurposing ideas I’ve seen in a while! I’ve already purchased my palettes for $10 for two (thanks Lowe’s). If you follow me on twitter, then you probably laughed when I told you what my husbands reaction was! But, for those of you that don’t, when I arrived home at about 10pm and asked him to help me unload them from the truck he said: “what the H E double hockey sticks are you up to now?”!!! Ahh yes….being married to a blogger/DIY’er! Do you think they have a meeting group for this?!

Would you consider using shipping palettes in your home? Or, do you think I’ve gone off the deep end too?!

THESE ARE MY CONFESSIONS

I have a confession to make. First I want to ask you if you’ve ever heard the saying that your home or things in your life says a lot about you? Do you believe that to be true? I do. And lately my life have been turned upside down. Usually. I’m a fun bubbly person, that laughs a lot. But, lately I’ve ‘seen’ myself in another light. Lately I feel hurried, tired, overwhelmed, and drained. I feel a little out of touch. I would love to be able to pin point the exact cause, but there are many. A few includes people, my home, and blogging.

I’m a people pleaser. I’ve been like that for a while now. What I’ve realized from being a “pleaser” is that there are only certain people that need to be pleased. Since that revelation, I’ve let quite a few people go. That a lone has given me a sense of relief.

My home has become somewhat neglected. I do the bare minimum these days. Laundry, dishes, and cleaning bathrooms just to name a few. But, other things that I use to be on top of like organizing, decluttering, and so on seem to be the last on my mind.

Lastly, blogging has really taken its toll. I started this blog to have a way to release my thoughts that other people around me didn't want to hear. I never thought that I would actually meet people and build relationships. I can honestly say that starting a blog has been one of the greatest things I’ve done lately. What I didn’t realize is how consumed it can be. Nor did I realize how competitive and greedy one can get without realizing it. I never thought that I would get comments (honestly). I never thought about followers. I never thought about sponsors, advertisements, giveaways, and so forth. But, then I was bitten. I received comments from people other than family and then I wanted more. That started my crave. So I thought of any and everything I could do to get followers and comments. Right now at this very moment, I know that for me that is not why I blog. Yes I love hearing what you guys have to say, but I also love that I have said something. By taking this pressure off of me, I feel free. Free to get back to blogging my best.

I thought by taking a week off last week, I would somehow return to normal. Yeah, that didn’t happen. But, by sharing my feelings with you is a major step. Because you are reading, I feel the need to be truthful.

If your home, or things in your life represents where you are mentally, then this photo says it all about me right now

Bare with me guys. I AM on the road to recovery! Can any of you relate? Please, somebody, anybody, say yes!

NEW MASTER BEDROOM ADDITION

Hi everyone! Its great to be back. It’s funny because I never went anywhere, I just needed time with the kids and the hub. I feel so refreshed! I want to thank the wonderful ladies who guest post for me last week: Janell, Emily, Tonia, Erika, and Mrs. Chic! They did such a great job that I don’t know how I’m going to follow behind them with my posts;-)

I wanted to show you a little progress that I’ve in my bedroom. Can you tell what it is?

I have three more to add. What do you think?