Darlington Renovation: Before and After

I'm excited to share some "before and after" photos from my home renovation. I myself love to see spaces transformed, so here is a peak inside my home. Don't judge to harshly, the decor is a work in progress.

Before: Exterior

After: Exterior

Before: Living Room (Photo courtesy of Shannon Motley)

Hello red floors and a random beadboard wall!

After: Living Room

Underneath the beadboard was brick! A wonderful surprise. Unfortunately, I do not have a working fireplace. Too expensive at this time. 

Before: Kitchen (Photo courtesy of Shannon Motley)

I believe this is the home's original kitchen from 1948. Very orange, very dated and hardly any space to work.  It was also closed off from the rest of the house. 

After: Kitchen

I opened up the kitchen by tearing down the wall wear the peninsula is now. Brand new cabinets, appliances and countertops brought this kitchen out of the dark ages.

Before: Dining Room (Courtesy of Shannon Motley)

The original dining room was separated from the kitchen by a wall. It is also opened up to the outside.

After: Dining Room (still searching for a table and chairs...)

The new dining room is now open to the kitchen and a brand new family room addition. Don't you love the wavy floors? (Ha!) A perk of owning an older home. I'm in love with the finish though! I had the original floors sanded down and then applied a light white wash and clear top coat.

After: View into the kitchen and brand new family room addition

After: Family Room addition

I hope you enjoyed this peak inside my home!

Kitchen Backsplash Reveal

I first posted about my search for a kitchen backsplash about a month ago, but the realty of it is, I've been shopping for a backsplash pretty much since I started renovating, well over a year ago... yep. 

I am not THAT indecisive, but a backsplash isn't a dish towel that I can change-out seasonally. It's pretty permanent, so I wanted to be sure, no second guessing.  Another reason I spent extra time on this decision is because my house is very open and the backsplash is very visible, so it needed to jive with the rest of the house. I am happy to say that after months of searching, I've found a beautiful tile that I will never get tired of, promise. 

So while I was playing in the Belize-ian jungle over Thanksgiving....

The backsplash was installed!

I went with a handmade ceramic subway tile, called dapple, and I love it! This tile is special because it changes color in the light. Sometimes it looks green, other times gray and I've seen is look pale blue. The color isn't too in your face bright or too neutral. It is just enough color to perk up my very white kitchen.  I am very happy with my decision!

All I need now is something to dress-up the window and some bar stools... :)

On to the next project!

Dining Banquet Inspiration

When I moved into my house several months ago, I brought with me all the "hodge-podge" furniture of my post college, early twenties. Basically an assortment of hand-me-downs from my generous parents filled-in with whatever I could afford from IKEA. Now I am all moved-in and excited at the prospect of decorating my own home! It's a slow process but one that I've really enjoyed so far. I love researching and planning each space. I usually start by deciding how I am going to live and use the space and then I start scouring the internet and magazines for inspiration.

At the moment, I am in the market for a table and some chairs for my dining room, which, is currently looking very empty and sad. I plan on posting a floor plan detailing my vision for the dining room, but for now I will describe my vision and share some of the photos that have inspired me.

I've decided to go with a "banquette" style dining room. Not only do I love the look, but from a practical standpoint, it makes the most sense given the location of the dining room. You have to walk through my dining room to get to pretty much every other room in the house, which is why I hesitate to put the large "conventional" table and chairs in the middle of the room. I don't want to obstruct travel around the house. It would be a nuisance always having to maneuver around the furniture, which is why I'm thinking banquette style is the way to go for my dining room.

Not only would banquette style allow for the dining room to remain an unobstructed intersection for home travel, but it also feels very comfortable and relaxed, which fits in well with the casual way I live in my home. I imagine my dining room as a multifunctional space for cozy dinners and messy projects. I want to sit at the dining table with my computer and feel like I'm part of the action in the kitchen. To me, a banquette style creates the intimate and laid-back ambiance that I envision for my dining room.

Take a look at some of the gorgeous banquettes that have inspired my dining room project.

I found this photo on one of my favorite blogs, Cote de Texas, and am in love with this slipcovered banquette. The ruffle skirt adds a feminine touch.

Here is another favorite of mine from Cote de Texas. The Gustavian sofa is just my style. 

 

The window seat and fireplace make this such a cozy dining space!

This might be my absolute favorite. I'm loving all the different blue stripes covering this banquette and the diamond pattern floor. 

Love the green ticking on this high back dining settee. 

The built-in banquette makes for a cozy breakfast nook and the drop-leaf table offers plenty of space for dining. Added bonus here is the extra storage space in the banquette!

A touch of French ticking on this antique salon settee from La Brocanteuse. 

The fabric on this settee is beautiful and I love how the cushion and pillows give this piece a relaxed look.

I love the way the long banquette looks with the circular table. I am considering doing something similar Maybe an oval table instead of a circle. 

More on my dining room as it starts to come together.

Kitchen Backsplash Inspiration

I was so eager to move into my house after renovating that I decided to leave a few projects to be completed at a later date. One such project being the kitchen backsplash. I've been staring at white drywall between the cabinets for too long, so I've taken to Pinterest and Houzz to start pulling some inspiration photos.

Here is my kitchen. I love the clean feeling of the white shaker-style cabinets and quartzite countertops. I'd love to use the backsplash to add some warmth and interest to the room.

Also, my kitchen is the center of the house and can be seen from the dining and family room, so I need to make sure I choose a backsplash that will be in keeping with the feel of the rest of the house and something that I won't get tired of too quickly.

White is always a safe option. I love the handmade quality of the subway tile in this kitchen. Each tile has its own unique form that creates a perfectly imperfect pattern on the wall.

A beveled edge subway tile adds some interest and texture. 

The gray handmade tiles in the below kitchen are beautiful. A soft neutral color tile would add a subtle contrast to my white cabinets and countertop. The handmade quality adds a range of color variation that I love.

What about a pop of color in the kitchen?! 

Mini mosaic tiles would add some texture to the backsplash.

So many beautiful options! Stay tuned!

Better Late than Never

I recently completed a large home renovation project that I embarked on over a year ago. It all began in June 2013 when I purchased my little fixer-upper located in my favorite Atlanta neighborhood. Everything had to be updated, the floors, the kitchen, the bathrooms, etc, and when I began the reno process, I had grand plans of blogging the entire experience.  I thought it would be a great way to document the experience for myself and others and maybe even get some advice from veteran "renovaters". Unfortunately, I never got my act together.

Now, over a year later, I've decided it is finally time to join the blogosphere. As I turn my empty house into a home, I would like to share my home decorating projects and tidbits from my renovation experience with the hope that I may be a source of inspiration. The blogosphere was an invaluable resource during my home renovation and continues to be a source of inspiration and information as I begin to decorate. Thank you to all the bloggers who have inspired my home journey! 

For my first post, I would to share one of the biggest transformations from my home renovation: the exterior. 

My little house has come a long way in one year! Before I started renovating my brother lovingly referred to the house as my "trailer" which is a pretty accurate description. The bricks sitting on top of the cement blocks does give-off a mobile home vibe. A fresh coat of paint, the addition of the two gables and some landscaping made a huge difference! Some shutters are in the future once I decide on a paint color. 

More tales from my home to come!