• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

July 17, 2015

Lakeside Home Makeover Tour

Good morning ATPF followers!

It’s me, Julie from redheadcandecorate.com. I’m here at my kitchen table listening to the birds and looking forward to some rain today. The rain really puts me in the mood to browse through DIY DECOR in blog land, how about you?

bird-houses


So, while thinking about what I would like to share this month, I decided to take you on a full “Makeover Tour” of our Michigan home. I’m hoping that maybe one of my thrifty decorating ideas may spark some inspiration for you, or maybe just take you away for a little while to relax.
If you have any questions on any of the makeovers please visit my “Room Makeover” section on my blog.
You may know me best for our Kitchen Makeover, but that was just the beginning…

Kitchen Makeover

kitchen before

Kitchen Best no name

tea

Our Kitchen Makeover took place over 3 years ago, and I still love everything we’ve done. From painting some of the cabinets black, and some white, to the beam down the center of our island, it’s my favorite place to be. There’s nothing more comforting to me than cooking for my family and enjoying the fire with them by my side. No restaurant or vacation has ever come close to making me feel the way I feel in this space.

The room directly off of the kitchen was a dining room until one day I finally decided to use the space wisely and turn it into my office…

Dining Room Turned Blog Office

dining room hutch

Dining Room Turned Office

If you rarely use you your dining room and have an eating space in your kitchen, this would be an easy transformation just by removing the chairs and adjusting a few things. The best part, it can easily be transformed back into a dining room.

We added beams to the ceilings, a cool capiz shell light fixture, and I removed the buffet top to the table behind my desk chair so I could use the top for more storage.

Unfortunately, this room gets very cold in the Winter, so I only use it in the warmer months.

After all that DIY work, we definitely needed a sweet retreat to rest our aching bones at night. I decided I had enough of green, and transformed our bedroom by painting the walls white and finding an affordable white comforter that could be washed with ease.

I also framed in the poster on the side wall with wood from Home Depot that I distressed and stained which anchored the room. My husband added the romantic black drum chandelier.

Master Bedroom Makeover

bedroom gawker

DIY Master Bedroom Makeover

Outside our bedroom is the foyer and these charming stairs. They are the first thing you see as you walk in, so I wanted them to pop. The orange Oak color was very dated and didn’t show off the custom wood.

So…we painted them with dark molasses colored paint. We also did the moldings and doors in parts of the house. I won’t lie…painting moldings is a lot of work. Totally worth it though.

Oak Staircase MakeoverStaircase Before

Staircase Makeover

There are two more staircases that lead to the basement and we followed through with the same colors for a clean look. The paint is holding up very well.

Once you get upstairs there is an open loft leading to the rest of the bedrooms. My youngest daughter moved into the room we originally designated for company. We took full advantage of the cathedral ceiling and hung a large dramatic (affordable) rustic chandelier.

Guest Room Turned Teen Bedroom

Guest Room Before

Valerie's Bedroom
It’s very bright and cozy. Perfect for her to do homework, or her art. I also framed in the map using wood from Home Depot that I stained. This room has changed dramatically since this photo. Now there are stuffed animals hanging from the chandelier and art work all over the walls. Yeay!!
There’s more upstairs, but this post is getting long, so I will skip down to the Living Room Makeover.
As you may be able to tell from this photo…it was very dark in there. I wanted to lighten it up and give it a “Beach Winter Lodge” feel…with out curtains. Yep, that’s right. NO CURTAINS.

Living Room Makeover

family room old
First, we tried a light blue for the walls, but I quickly grew tired of it and we eventually went to all white. White is still my favorite, especially up against the dark moldings and dark trim.

Living Room Makeover
Here it is all white…
The wood trim was very simple to add to the walls and I love how it accentuates the window moldings that were already there. Once again it’s just stained wood that we screwed into the walls. As you can see I am not shy about putting holes in walls. The way I look at it is that a hole can be patched in a couple minutes with a little putty, sandpaper, and paint. So go ahead…put a hole in your wall.
The “Stump End Table” was made from a log in our back yard. You’ll find more wood projects on my blog, too. I’m obsessed with wood, probably because we have so much available to us in our back yard. It’s FREE.
White Living Room Makeover

Lastly…we have a powder room off of our kitchen that I wanted to make stand out. I’ve always loved checker board floors, so I painted a checkerboard rug on the floor. It’s beginning to age, and I love it even more.

Powder Room Makeover

Julie Painting Rug
Bathroom w: Ruffled Curtains
You probably noticed that I painted the vanity black. Yes, by now you probably realize how much I love black. White and black against wood, or silver. That’s my go to style group. The funny thing is…I wear a lot of black and silver, too. If they made wood pants I would probably walk around with those too.

I hope you enjoyed the “Makeover Tour”. There are plenty more that I didn’t share today, so I hope you’ll stop over redheadcandecorate.com and take a peek. You can also subscribe to my weekly news letter here.

6 Comments Filed Under: Good Ideas

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « There are Socks on My Table
Next Post: Our BIG News »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hope Williams says

    July 17, 2015 at 5:04 AM

    I love all of it! It is stunning to look at and feels comfy and inviting all at once. I would definitely feel welcomed by the warmth oozing from every room!
    Blessing to all and have a wonderful weekend, Hope

    Reply
  2. Jan says

    July 17, 2015 at 5:36 AM

    Love, love, love your redos. You have inspired me…now I just need to get hubby, the painter, inspired. Wish me luck! Happy Friday to you and your family.

    Reply
  3. Donna Marie says

    July 17, 2015 at 6:38 AM

    Looks like you have done lots and lots of work but the results are amazing.

    Reply
  4. Julia Thibodaux says

    July 18, 2015 at 8:54 AM

    You have a beautiful home!

    Reply
  5. Marti says

    July 19, 2015 at 8:49 AM

    Stunning! I absolutely LOVE everything you have re-done! I’m very jealous of all your “free” wood! How fortunate — especially for creative you! I think your lake house is perfect in every way for my preferred style, as well. Yep, I’m just plain JEALOUS! Seriously — CONGRATULATIONS on making everything come together so beautifully!

    Reply
  6. Ron@MichiganHomes says

    November 11, 2015 at 1:24 AM

    What an amazing and truly beautiful home! Great to know that you are from Michigan too. Lovely makeover indeed!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Why We’ve Chosen Vacations Over Projects April 26, 2022
  • A New Look for the Family Room March 1, 2022
  • Christmas Kitchen and Family Room December 19, 2021
  • Christmas Home Tour Part One December 10, 2021
  • Easy Hot Cocoa Station November 21, 2021

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 At The Picket Fence