Here's how we hung up a tile backsplash in our coastal kitchen and how you can do it yourself too! We are winding up our kitchen makeover, and one of the last big projects was adding a tile back splash. I envisioned a sea glass look that would tie into our recycled glass counter tops....
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How to Budget for Home Renovations When You Are Househunting
If you're worried about having enough money left over for renovations when you're house hunting, keep these things in mind. This will help you make the best plan! This is a fun topic that we have gotten asked a bunch and I thought would be fun to address in it's own post. When we were...
All of the Planting Going on in our Yard - What's Working & What's Not
This is our first spring in our home and one thing that I am so excited for is building a garden and improving our yard. The previous owners actually rented the house out for the last 5 years so the yard was in rough shape! Our priorities have been grass, bushes/shrubs, adding some floral color...
How to Build a Custom Wooden Closet Shelf System
Want to build some DIY closet shelves? You will love this simple and inexpensive tutorial! We are fully making over our walk in master closet to maximize the use of storage space and to make it more beautiful. If you need a flashback, here is our progress so far: Week 1: The design plan Week...
Three Days in Sonoma
After the excitement of 3 days in Yosemite, we were ready to spend the second half of our trip relaxing. After a brief one night stay in Sonora (about 1 hour outside Hetch Hetchy and on the way towards Sonoma) we made the 3 hour trek to Sonoma. Sonoma is right next to Napa and...
Yosemite National Park
We've done some awesome travel the last few years, including our honeymoon to Italy and our first anniversary to Kauai. Well, a year later, time for our second anniversary trip. We chose to go to Yosemite National Park and Sonoma, California for a week of hiking and wine-ing. First up, we spent three days in...
The Top 9 Instagram Spots in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina, is a beautiful city any time of year. That's why we keep getting named as the number one tourist destination in the country, and the world, and the best place to move, and the number one city in the world, and the nicest people in the country, yada yada yada. We wouldn't...
My Favorite Source for Inexpensive Gallery Wall Art - Calendars!
Gallery walls are an awesome way to add a lot of visual impact to a wall - but large gallery walls can get expensive. Frames are expensive and so is art. My first gallery wall, I actually built really inexpensive frames to save money. I now prefer to purchase frames (I have these from Amazon...
ORC Week 3: Master Closet Demo
Hello, we are back again with progress on our master walk in closet! As a reminder, we are redoing the closet as a part of the six week One Room Challenge. This week I am excited to share the full demolition and process of getting the closet ready for the new system. As a reminder:...
How to Restore an Old Wooden Cutting Board
Have a scratched or damaged wooden cutting board? Here are the best steps for how to restore an old cutting board in about 5 minutes! Cutting boards get worn out pretty quick, especially if you're using one made of wood. Luckily, they can also be restored pretty quickly. Morgan found a beautiful wood cutting board...
Simple Side Table Makeover with Spray Paint
Today I have a super simple furniture makeover for you. When we moved, we had all of our boxes unpacked within a week. All of them except this one. This box has been J Chilling in our guest room, serving as a side table, for 9 months. Side table has been on my thrift store...
Our Favorite Books So Far This Year
Sean & I both set lofty reading goals for 2017 and we are both... very behind. Oops! But, we have read some awesome books, and really wanted to share our favorite books so far this year. The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney - a woman moves into a very peculiar house and learns about the legacy of a...
How To Save Money on Large Purchases at Lowes or Home Depot
There are some great ways to save money on large purchases at Home Depot and Lowe's when you are on a budget. Here's some of the best tips! When you move, a lot of times you have big upfront expenses. For example, you might need a new washer and dryer or refrigerator. You might need...
ORC: How to Design a Closet Organization System in Microsoft Excel
Hello and welcome back to the One Room Challenge! We are so excited to be pairing up with a TON of other bloggers to be making over a room in six weeks. We are making over our walk in closet (and the accompanying linen closet!) and are so excited for it! For the why and...
When to splurge on tools and when to save
It's hard to know whether you should spend a lot on a new tool or save some money. Here's some things to consider! When you're a new homeowner, you don't have a ton of money after you close on the home, but you also often need to do some improvements on your house. If you've...
An Inexpensive Alternative to a Glass Tabletop on an Outdoor Table
You might remember that I picked up this set of table and chairs for FREE on the side of the road. It was in fabulous condition but had no glass tabletop and no cushions. The cushions were easy to replace (Thanks HomeGoods!) but the tabletop was a different story. I looked into getting tempered glass...
How to Avoid & Address Problems with your Home Owners Association
If you live in a community with an HOA, dealing with problems can be a pain. Here's ways to deal with issues- from a former HOA president! Whether you are buying a home or renting a condo, there are good chances that you might live somewhere with a Homeowners Association (HOA). While some people hate...
How to Make ANY Cabinet or Drawer Slow Close
If you're looking to update your kitchen or bathroom cabinets to be slow close, it's an easy process. Here's how to make any cabinet or drawer slow close without having to change them out! A big part of any renovation is budgeting. With our old kitchen renovation, we had to choose what to spend on...
One Room Challenge Week 1: Master Closet Design Plan
Hey hey y'all. I know this is crazy. We literally JUST finished a $100 one month half bathroom makeover last week. But... this week starts the one room challenge again! I love participating in these kinds of challenges because they push me to get things done but also they are an awesome way to connect with...
DIY Pet Grass & Cat Nip Cat Garden
I love my cat so much. Sometimes I think about how she can never go outside and I feel sad for her, for how small her world really is. But, we keep her inside to keep her safe. She is very lucky to have a screened in porch where she can almost be outside. She really...
All of the Details of our Recycled Glass Counter Tops!
Check out how we designed and installed recycled glass and oyster shell counter tops for our coastal kitchen renovation! If you're stopping over for the first time and love our recycled glass and oyster shell counter tops, Check out all of the details on our DIY colorful coastal kitchen here! Y'all I am so excited...
The newest tool in my tool box
I have a lot of tools, but the newest tool in my tool box isn't one that helps me build things... unless you count my perfectly crafted facial hair as something that needs to be built. As a guy who has maintained stubble on his face for close to four years now, it's important to...
Half Bathroom $100 Makeover Reveal
I am so excited to be sharing the final half bathroom reveal with you! As a reminder, we made over this space in one month for $100. Week 1: The plan Week 2: Paint & Light fixture Week 3: Mirror update Week 4: Rope Shelves I am very happy with how this space turned out. We...
How to extend kitchen cabinets to the ceiling
Learn how to extend your kitchen cabinets to the ceiling in this easy DIY guide. Discover the benefits, step-by-step instructions, and essential tips for creating a cohesive and spacious kitchen. We are really into extending things and making them look bigger. If we do say so ourselves, we nailed it when we extended our fireplace...
How to Build a DIY Wooden Hammock Stand with a Pergola - PDF Plans!
Want to hang a hammock in your yard but don't have the right trees? Here's how to build a DIY wooden hammock stand - with a pergola - the easiest way! There is nothing better than relaxing in a hammock on a beautiful day. Our yard is perfect for a hammock - we have plenty...
How to Remove Laminate Countertop & Backsplash Without Damaging Cabinets
Planning to replace your countertops? Here is a step by step guide on how to remove laminate countertops and backsplash without damaging cabinets! We have been preparing for our new counter tops this week. Here are the details on our recycled glass countertops! Our installers offered us a $150 discount if we removed them ourselves,...
DIY Nautical Rope Shelving Tutorial for the $100 Room Challenge
We added some DIY nautical rope shelving to both store practical items and house pretty decor. We have been contemplating this idea for somewhere in our house for a few months now and this was the PERFECT opportunity for it. DIY rope shelving This project is super easy and adds a great coastal/nautical touch to...
A Pink & Green Floral Spring Tablescape
Hello - if you are a first time visitor hopping over from Living with Thanksgiving or any of the other blogs, welcome! Please pop over & check out our About Us, Home Tours, and DIY archive page. If you like what you see, add us to your blog reader or sign up for our newsletter! ...
DIY Painting Landscapes for the $100 Room Challenge
We are having so much fun making over our half bathroom as a part of the $100 room challenge. Working with such a tight budget has really pushed me to get creative. Since I really wanted to spend the majority of my budget on painting the walls (about $20) and a storage solution (budgeted $40)...
Free Pallets Nearby: Where to Get Free Wood Pallets Easily
Unlock the secrets to sourcing free pallets for your creative DIY and home improvement projects. A must-read guide for upcycling enthusiasts! In the realm of DIY projects, there's a rising star: pallet wood. These wood pallets are becoming the go-to for home improvement enthusiasts and small businesses alike. Why? They offer a rustic charm that’s...
DIY Hanging Fence Planters
The most awesome thing about the DIY hanging fence planters I made is that they have a double meaning. They are DIY hanging fence planters that are planters that hang on the fence, but they are also hanging planters that are made OUT of fence. Whaaaaaaatttttt. A few months ago, I finished ripping out the...
DIY Nautical Round Rope Mirror Frame Tutorial
Want to make a DIY rope mirror? You'll love this simple tutorial! One thing that I really wanted to include in our half bathroom makeover was a rope mirror. I have pinned a ton as inspiration, but y'all know that I love the coastal vibe of rope everything! Luckily, rope is really inexpensive and easy...
Our Spring Mantel
I am so excited to share our spring mantel with you today. One thing that I am most excited about in our new home is decorating for the seasons and the holidays. We now have space to store off season decor, but also we have lots of more spaces to decorate! We updated our fireplace...
Easy Open Shelving in the Kitchen
Here's how to added some easy off-the-shelf shelving into an empty space off the edge of our cabinets! We're crazy about openness in our house right now. We've had walls taken down, turned two medicine cabinets into open shelving, turned a cabinet into open shelving on the end of our island, and now we've added...
45 Pool Floats You Need This Summer
Whether you live near a beach, frequent the lake, or love hitting up your pool, fun floats are a must for summer. Here are some of my favorite pool floats - all available on Amazon Prime. Buy them now before they sell out for the season! Bacon // Cabana // Cherry Bald Eagle // Cactus // Cockroach Banana // Champagne //...
Tools for your first tool box
If you're just starting out with home repairs and building, here's the tools I recommend to have in your first toolbox! Yay! You got your first tool box! But it's empty. Whomp whomp. No fear, we're here to help you fill it up. Your tool box is your on the go friend for completing projects....
$100 Half Bathroom Update: Paint and an Updated Light Fixture
Hey guys, welcome back to our $100 half bathroom makeover. We will be sharing updates every Wednesday for the month of March and also are linking up with some other wonderful bloggers at the bottom of each post. Last week, we shared our design plan for the half bathroom. As a reminder, this is right...
What We Learned Painting Our Kitchen Cabinets
Painting your kitchen cabinets is a great way to save money on a kitchen renovation or just to brighten up the space in a weekend! Here's our best tips! Over the past 2 weekends, we have been slowly painting our kitchen cabinets. As you know, painting old cabinets that are in good shape is a...
6 MUST HAVE yard tools for the new homeowner
Just bought your first home with a yard and spring is around the corner? Here's the six yard tools you are going to need to get before you can do anything! I got EXTREMELY lucky when we moved into our first house in that the very same weekend we moved IN, my dad was moving...
Coastal Half Bathroom Design Plan
Before I get started, I know what you are thinking: half bathroom design plan? But you are in the middle of a kitchen renovation? I know. I am a crazy person. But not really. We are kind of almost at a standstill with the kitchen as we wait for our counter tops to be poured...
DIY Rolling Dog Food Container
Want to make your own rolling dog food container? You will love this simple project tutorial! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS Incorporated. All opinions are mine alone. #DineWithCesar #TreatWithCesar #CollectiveBias Love this post? Check out all of our pet inspired projects here! Follow Bear &...
Turning a Cabinet into a Pull Out Trash Can
Want to add a cabinet trash can to your kitchen? Here's how to DIY it! Last week, we told you about how we turned one of our old upper cabinets into open shelving on the end of our kitchen island. That was mostly to make our island bigger and add to our aesthetics. Today's transformation...