It's The Little Things In Life...

Heya housies :)

So, in response to my blog post asking what YOU want to read/see/learn, it sounds like y'all want LOTS of photos and to learn more little tricks regarding homeownership, cohabitating, updating, renovating and styling. NO PROBLEM!!

In fact, I took a few photos last night that I've been wanting to share with you. I'm finding that right now, with so much going on (training for the half marathon, work ramping up for the fall, etc.), the big things feel overwhelming (paint the ENTIRE main floor? put in a French drain? design a yard? yikes!!!) but the little things make me happy and give me a sense of satisfaction even when the house-to-do-list just keeps getting longer and longer....

Here are a few of my favorites:

My closet doors -- freshly painted with new knobs!

The above-mentioned new closet door knobs. How sweet are these? Love the simple nod to travel, another one of my passions.

Typically, I prefer furniture with a history and a good story; this solid-oak piece was a hand-me-down from a good friend of ours that I absolutely love. I first used it as a night stand, but liked it better in the corner as I felt like it helped create a new space. The drawers are filled with little momentos, books, photos, etc.

A single yellow rose snipped from my grandma's garden -- does it get any better than this? :)

Cheers,

Shanti

Bathroom Bliss

You've all heard me complain complain complain about our master bathroom color (yuck) and my desire for a crisp, clean, relaxing space (ahhhh... kind of like spaaaaa). Well, here are the final shots -- I think the change in color alone boosted my morning mood!







































SOOOO much better, yes?

Cheers,
Shanti

borrowed idea!

Hello!

As those of you who've visited our home already know, we chose to forgo the traditional guest room in favor of a gear room. And, oh yes, we have NO regrets. It's a beautiful thing to walk into the room and see our "toys" (skis, snowshoes, camping equip., etc.) all organized and ready to be used. And when you get home from an adventure, it's kind of nice to just dump everything in the room and shut the door for a few hours while you shower or recoup from whatever the trip served up.

So on a recent foray into Port Townsend, I spotted this fun way (see pics below) to organize our gear even more, which, if you know me, thrills me to no end. This project involves gear and organizing? Yes please!

We don't really climb anymore, but I still think this is a DIY cool idea, and you could totally use different materials to make it yours.

Bring on the rope and scissors!

Shanti

I'm baaaaaaaaack!

So, what's the best way to kill a blog? Stop posting.

Yikes!

Sorry guys -- no excuses here, life simply got in the way.

But I'm back, with lots of ideas and fun things to share. Here's a snippet:

1. The master bathroom is DONE! Will post pix soon.
2. The office/travel room is FINALLY all put away and organized. Love that feeling!
2. I've hired a designer. That's right. Details coming soon :)

Off to buy gallons and gallons and gallons of primer............
SB

success!!

hi guys,

as promised, just letting you know that after my post about being a Black Thumb Gardener, ALL MY PLANTS ARE STILL ALIVE! and actually, they're doing quite well :)

perhaps it IS possible to rehab a black thumb...

More on Monday!

cheers,
SB

Next Post: Your Choice!

Hi guys,

So I've been blogging for a few months now, and I must say its been a learning experience and tons of fun. I'm starting to figure things out, and am getting pretty good feedback so far.

But this morning I got to thinking --- what are you guys interested in hearing about or learning right now???

I can tell you that at the moment I'm obsessed with the power of a couple good coats of paint in a stunning color, creating defined but comfortable spaces in my home, and finding affordable ways to really make it "mine."

But what do you want to know? How to install a new outlet or light switch? Which colors are the latest and greatest? How to re-grout a shower? Or maybe where to go to get whatever it is you're looking for to spruce up your home? Perhaps a few tricks & tips on merging "his" stuff with "her" stuff? Or just more photos???

Tell me, and I shall deliver :) E-mail: havedogwilltravel@gmail.com

In the meantime, I'll keep blogging away.....

Shanti

Two (Fairly) Quick Ways to Update, Style & Change the Feel of a Room

Good morning Painters and Paintettes!

The Seattle rain, a welcome change from the scorching heat we had last week, has given us the opportunity (solicited or not) to focus on the interior fixes that have been on "Winter To-Do List" such as painting and lighting.

And as you may have read in one of my recent posts, the master bathroom was in DIRE need of some TLC, particularly in the paint department. So far, we've got one coat of primer (TOTALLY necesarry) on and the ceiling painted -- and I have to say it already looks a thousand times better and WAY bigger. Its former Mountain Dew color (ceiling included) made it feel rigid and cheap; with just a few hours of work, it already feels brighter and cleaner.

Here are some pix of our progress so far:



















Hopefully we can finish the primer coat and get the walls painted by the end of the week. I would LOVE to move in and actually use this bathroom by the weekend!! Stay tuned for final styling pix :)

Total cost so far:
$100 for materials + 3 Hours (prep, painting, and clean up)
No more Mountain Dew color: PRICELESS

The second thing we've been having fun with lately is lighting. Our house came with a few good lighting set-ups, but mostly they were the cheap, dim ones that never give out enough light and always burn through bulbs more quickly.

Here are the three we recently installed:

The top light is in our office/travel room, the one in the middle is the bedroom light we finally decided on (we went for about a month with no light.....!). The last is one of my favorites -- ignore the wall color and the need to patch the ceiling, that will come soon -- it is the inspiration for my future walk-in closet renovation.

In short, if you're looking to spend minimal cash and time updating, styling, or refreshing a room start with a couple coats of paint or a new light fixture -- it can change the whole feel of your space.

Enjoy!
Shanti