Closet Pics before and after

Here go the pics of the closet extravaganza from my previous Blog!

Closet #1- Before

Closet  #1 In progress

Closet  #1  After

Closet #2 Before

Closet #2 After

Closet #3 - Before

Closet #3- After

"General" Contractor

I am embarking on something new and scary, all at the same time. I am the general contractor for finishing part of my basement to include a guest room, bath and office. It started with a desire to have a space for our guests and now it has turned into a man cave, a mini kitchen and an office where my hubby can get away from it all.

I began hunting and pecking for sales at Lowes, Home Depot and Menard's about 2 months ago and I was thrilled when I found someone else's "custom order" mistake. I have since procured a full bath, built a kitchenette with my main man and I have mapped out what will be a beautiful oasis for our up north guests.

The sad part is that we have only just begun. I thought better to start blogging now before the weekend ends when we will likely be very tired. The goal is to have the walls and trim complete by Labor Day and ideally I would love to have started on the back breaking endeavor of putting down the floor before my young strapping men head off to school! As we speak I have 2 gentlemen hanging drywall and both my 12 and 15 year old boys are learning manual labor.

My husband will be here tomorrow and the weekend to do some of the heavy lifting and I will do what I do best - clean and cook!

I must admit it has been a good bit of fun having contractors show up early in the morning to plumb, do electrical and HVAC, and of course, there is Bert the master of all trades. Bert has been gracious to offer my family the opportunity to "learn as we go" and as he put it, "boys should learn how to use power tools". I must say that he has been a true "grandpa" to my boys in this process. He has helped them to learn how to make mistakes gracefully, he has shown them that work is meant to be fun and most of all he has Christ at the center and he demonstrates what it is like to be a man after God's heart.

Bert is Canadian by birth and I am reminded of the delicate balance between working to live and living to work. Bert like many other Canadians seems to have a great spirit about what matters. They know how to call it quits when the day is done and go home to their wives and play on the floor with their new puppy. I love that Bert sometimes takes time in his daily run to Menard's to go home for a quick potty break to take out his dog "Teddy" and I am sure he snatches a kiss from his lovely bride.

So off we go! Here are a few pics of the start.... I promised my friend Cat that I would be sure to take a picture with a saw but I am not sure if that will be "real" diva doing or not?? Time will tell!

Unleash Your Inner Diva

Closet Diva

This Diva has been in the closet far too long! The first time it started at 2 a.m. and lasted for a couple of hours. The second time it was much more reasonable as it happened on a Saturday morning. And the last time was just last week when I got caught up in the middle of the afternoon.

I have been on a closet craze and I have learned a few things in the making. So let's get down to brass tax before we see the evidence of the "flurry". First you have to have a good friend, a glass of wine, a comfy chair, some motivating music, and of course, the one things you can't do without - garbage bags!

If you can stop off at the dollar store first, purchase a few plastic shoe boxes, about 5 dozen white hangers and some pretty smelling room spray and a candle.

Get your girlfriend to come over for about 3 hours, hand her a glass of wine and insist that she sit in the comfy chair, leave the cell phone behind and let the diva process begin! First, go through the racks and pullout anything you don't like, don't wear, looks shabby or feels uncomfortable. Next, get 3 piles going- keep, donate and throw away. Move the items that you are not sure about into a separate pile and revisit them after you finish the rest of the sorting.

Step back and take a look at what makes the most sense regarding organization. Perhaps your pants have always been on the bottom and tops on top but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way. Hand your pal the white hangers and have her start putting on only the things that you "love" and want to keep.

Next you will want to organize according to color starting with white, then beige, yellow, orange, red, blue, purple, brown, gray and finally, black.. This should be done for pants, skirts, tops, sweaters and yes, shoes and purses! This way when you go to pick the outfit it will all be "alphabetized" by color.

Take all of the belts, purses, scarves and any other accessories that you have and find a sweet spot where you can access them on a daily basis. This will help to make your wardrobe "sing" when your are deciding what to wear.

If you already have a closet system installed you can use one of the shelves to display sentimental items such as pictures etc. and you can use a favorite bowl to keep your most prized possessions that will be on the daily "wear" list like your wedding ring or favorite pair of earrings.

Remember that the closet is a place you should want to go not despise. Sometimes propping up your childhood stuffed animal or posting pictures from your kiddos could make or break the difference.

Once you have gone through and sorted, organized and smiled then take the donate and dispose items out to the garage and car immediately! There is nothing worse then a job half done and it will be way too tempting to reach back in and grab the old jeans that are too tight to sport!

Make sure you bask in the glow and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Next is heading over to you pals house, sit in the comfy chair and drink wine while she gets her "closet diva" on!

Unleash Your Inner Diva

Pictures of work

Here are some pictures of a few of my decorating diva moments. I have tried to include a before and after as best as I could.


 Living room- before

 

Living room - after

 Office - before

Office - After

 Entrance - before

 Entrance- after

 Dining room - before

 Dining room- after

 Bedroom - before

 Bedroom- after

Kitchen- before

 Kitchen- after

 Laundry room with kids art

 

Master bedroom

 

 

Making a Difference

The Divas were on a short hiatus and now we are back at it with our first customer by referral. This job has the potential of warming all of our hearts. It's a story of a couple in their 70's. The man is an accomplished professional who has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He wants to give his wife the gift of time by hiring the Decorating Divas.

Their whole world has been turned upside down and I mean that literally. She, once an accomplished artist, is now trading paint brushes for transporting her husband by wheelchair to doctor's appointments. Their favorite rugs have been moved to the basement to create space for the wheelchair to have right access.

The glimmer in their eyes is still there but what once was an easy task has become labor. Our goal in this job will be to provide a respite for the lady to include a day bed and office. We will also create a space for guests by moving the art framing room to the main studio and re-purposing items from the home that bring joy and solitude, especially the beloved rock collection.

I realize that this work similar to counseling, will take on many new forms as we enter people's world. I will always remember the soft hands of the gentleman and the way that the lady wrapped her hands around her husbands shoulders. Or the smell of warm cookies wafting through the air from the helper that was brought in for light nursing and household duties.

The thought of having more joy when mentioned was easily received by the lady who was holding back her tears. She clearly is exhausted and while quite tidy in her own right you can tell that her world feels narrow and the chasm still large.

I don't take for granted that what we do matters and if we have the chance to give people time together then it is a job worth doing!

Things That Go Bump in the Night

It seems once you get on the Diva trail it is hard to get off. Just yesterday Jen and I nearly completed the estate sale (after many days of prep and pricing) and I am now on to thinking about our next gig. The "bump in the night" woke me up at 3:30 a.m. and it needs a place to go!

One thing is clear - the Diva's need a business plan! I can see where momentum carries you through but then when the end of the year comes you look back and have a hodgepodge of stuff that still needs a home and rooms that still need finishing. I think there is a place for everything but first it merits determining the steps that you have to do to complete a project.

1) Feel - enter every room with a blank slate in mind. Identify what you love and what you can live without. Write down what you want to move, sell or donate.

2) Function- Determine the purpose of the room. What function do you need the room to have?

3) Form- Think about color and combinations of furniture, fabric, window treatments, bedding etc.

4) Fit - Get a plan in place for the when and how (young teenage boys make great heavy lifters!)

5) Fun - Get your Diva gear on, get your girls and go!

So, I am mentally playing in my mom's house right now and in the absence of pictures I am going to take a stab at writing out the plan - this one is for you mom!

1) Feel 
The rest of the house has just been updated including a brand new kitchen, master bath, living room, dining room and half bath. Beautiful teal blues, cream and pale orange are the palette. The 3 bedrooms in the back of the house need updating and lack ideal function.

2) Function
Papa needs an office and mom aka Jannie  needs her dining room back, especially because it is knock down gorgeous!  The grandkids still need a bed to sleep on when visiting, however, they seem to be hanging in the basement when they do. The bedroom set in the guest room is currently too big for the room and the master bedroom furniture is tired.

3) Form
Jannie is drawn to the teal blues and she already has a cream and teal combo in the master and guest bedroom. The office (currently the boys room) has a masculine wallpaper and thematically has a nautical feel.

4) Fit
- The master bedroom dressers and headboard go to the garage (Oh, did I mention we are going to have a sale mid August?)  The chair and table with lamp go to the office. The chair from the pub table room goes in the corner with a table and lamp (if it works with selected bedding)

- The guest room furniture moves to the master bedroom

- The office will have shelving in the closet, a long desk with filing cabinet drawers underneath for files and gadgets. A chair will sit in the corner with a floor lamp and possibly a small table next to it.

- The day bed that is currently in the boys room will be moved to the cove in the basement where there is a jerry rigged office currently setup. All of the "desks" which are countertops will be moved to the garage for staging.

- The "cove" will be used cross functionally as a daybed/couch with nice pillows as a backdrop. The small walnut desk with a computer on it can be placed on one wall and the beautiful 2 cushion "Florida room"  couch could be placed on the other wall with the glass table lamp. The current desk behind the couch in the basement can be dismantled and used for staging. All printer equipment, fax and copy machine can be moved to the office or storage room, if wireless.

This shift in furniture not only lightens the load, it helps to have a use for every room which is much needed, since this is a home and office for both mom and papa. This separation of "church and state" will give Papa a place to go and when he is finished in the office his oasis will be awaiting him. This also gives mom the space that she desires and provides a place where she is not concerned about the volume of the TV when Papa is on the phone doing business. When Papa gets an office outside of the home it can still be used as a home office or swiftly be changed to a secret hideaway reading room.

Now once last thing. When you start moving a to b to c you are going to end up with "stuff" that doesn't have a place, plan or purpose. So it is important to schedule either a Purple Heart pickup, Salvation Army drop off or a sale if you want to make a few bucks.

In this case, a sale is in order. Many items from the previous home renovation are now strewn about downstairs and the storage areas and basement are not useable because of the "collectibles"  are stashed here temporarily.

5) Fun 
This is where we need the strapping young grandson and son in law to come in to do a bit of moving. This Saturday items above can be moved and placed while in for the birthday party.

My recommendation is that between now and mid August Papa unloads the garage and mom unloads the storage areas to the main part of the basement and they are sorted for sale or donation. A staging area of long tables (counter tops that were used as an office desk in the basement) should be setup in the garage and items that are not being used should be placed for the sale.

The Divas will swoop in and organize, price and sell the goods. A sale will be advertised in the local paper, Craig's list and several signs will be posted. One idea is to contact your HOA and suggest that they host a subdivision sale the same weekend!

Larger items such as dresser sets, desks and TV's can be sold in advance on Craig's list.

In this case we have re-purposed most rooms and there are likely only a few items that need to be purchased. Items recommended for purchase in this shabby chic expedition are as follows:

- A dresser and side table for the guest room
- A flat screen TV for the master bedroom
- A desk for the office

The estimated profit on the sale is likely $1,500 and the cost to purchase the above items is about the same.

Now that I have downloaded all of this from my mind it is time to go back to sleep! The bump in the night is a precipitous for change and may be just what Jannie and Papa need to complete their renovation in this wonderful 3 bedroom ranch home!

Unleash Your Inner Diva!

Getting Dirty

Getting dirty requires a certain amount of grit and I am not talking about dirt. I am talking about being willing to do the "less than glamorous" diva work which almost always includes the garage and basement.

That is what the Diva's are up to this week- getting dirty! Yesterday was a day of sorting, sweeping, throwing, stacking, moving and grooving! Jen clocked in 18,000 steps on her Fitbit- way to go girl!

The mission is to get as much stuff out of her "new home" take it to her "old home" and sell it. This weekend we are having an estate sale to unload some of her most beloved items that she has decided to part with.

An estate sale draws a different crowd then a garage sale and it requires more planning. The hawks arrive early and they are generally looking for antique items that the seller under values. That's where Georgie comes in!

Enter in Diva #3- Jen's mom Georgi - she  owned an estate sale business back in the day. Georgi will join us for pricing and will make known what items are to be left in the family arsenal.

My role in this excursion is not only to sort, discard and make it all look pretty but it is also to build in accountability on whether or not an item is truly worth keeping. We all have dishes or a rocker from our grandmother but if it stays in a box then is it really worth keeping?

This is a delicate role to play when you are talking about people's lives merging together. Just yesterday when we were sorting the "man cave" areas (aka garage and basement) it became very clear that men and women value different things.

The choice and chore was to see if form followed function or function followed form. I would say for most men - function rules! The problem with omitting form is that things don't usually end up matching. Women on the other hand typically value form which means that it might look good but it may not "work". I think God brought men and women together to strike a balance internally and externally.

The real challenge is trying to check in with your inner self to see what you value. If keeping high school trophies is important because you gave your life to that activity growing up, then display them. I believe we all have things that represent our inner souls and whether it is books or figurines, tools or chairs - it  doesn't matter as much as "knowing" what lies within.

After all of the sorting and selling is done it is important to sit and reminisce about the things that matter in life- people, time together, hard work and being present.

Unleash Your Inner Diva

Going Back to Go Forward

The Decorating Divas made their first paycheck! Today we transformed an assisted living room into an area that provided more useable space and gave pride to the, "lady of the house."

Imagine leaving your waterfront home, losing your husband of 50+ years, and taking a small room in an assisted living facility that is meant to keep your memories, clothes, bed, desk, and television.

It became apparent that "keeping stuff" was also a means of keeping control of what seemed to be lacking. We asked many questions including what she didn't want to have moved, and in no short order we were given direction and we were then off to a great start. We created a small kitchen area, desk, tidy bookshelf, and sitting area that provided new light to read her beloved books.

The job was relatively easy in that we finished within two-and-a-half hours, but the truth would come during our check in phone call, after we finished the job. While one of the chairs had already been moved shortly after we left, it was clear that not only did the lady feel loved for what we gave in our time and talents, but she also seemed to feel a sense of pride. During our follow up she noted that, "it would take a bit of time to get familiar with her new surroundings, but she was sure it would work out".

Sometimes compliments come in small forms and knowing that we'd made someone's day a little bit brighter was well worth the effort!

Here are a few during and after pics.

 

Unleash Your Inner Diva

The Great Find

Weekends are a great time to go and "make a great find" at a local garage or estate sale. Just jump in your car on a Saturday morning with a cup of coffee, a good friend and a bunch of singles in your wallet.

This past weekend my youngest son and I headed out in rain gear and made a dash for the lake to find "fancy home" garage sales. We didn't find fancy homes but boy did we find garage sales. I know many who look in the paper but there is something magical about the hunt. Turn here, go there, backup and park. You never know what you will find when you are on an adventure!

I love the idea of looking for something special because when you find it you will feel like you hit a gold mine. This week I was on a quest to sort out how we would store our phones because it seems that my husband and boys think that the kitchen counter is a good spot for electronics- NOT!

At the second to last stop I came across a jewel- a Pottery Barn phone stand for two bucks! And it matches my Pottery Barn desk that I found at a resale shop. Garage sales and resale shops are a good place to unleash your inner diva. You never know what you will find, but when you do it brings a smile to an otherwise, ordinary day.

Take a peek below- my girlfriend is re-doing her backyard and here is her "great find". A little petite bird bath - what a gem!

 

Unleash Your Inner Diva!

No, You're the Diva, No, You're the Diva"

Diva's work well together or alone. We inspire each other. Once we get on a roll, not only do ideas flow but action happens. So cousin Jenny and I, otherwise known as Jennifer or Jen, have been working together on the, "merging of the homes" project, for less than a week.

Today in the midst of getting all of her wedding thank you notes out, I suggested we, "jiffy pop" her master bedroom into an oasis before her hubby gets home from his fishing trip.

Well, take a look at what the diva did! Keep in mind we are still bringing things from her home and this whole en suite will change, but for now we have a bit of change that incorporates his, "stuff" and will brighten the smile of her friend and lover!

Sometimes, change for a moment can lead to momentary bliss. I think tonight jammies and a good book are in order for this diva!

Unleash Your Inner Diva!

 

Ready, Set, Go

Well, the divas had a great day getting kick started for the first big project of the "merging of the homes". 

Today we began to clear out, clean out, recycle, remove and yes, replace!

 

It all started with cute leopard socks and shoes, a good cup of coffee and an iPhone to take our before and after pics. 

So here is a sample of what we did in the outdoor room and front vestibule. More fun to come after we get the heavy lifter teenage boys to move some of the furniture around. 

Stay posted!

Unleash Your Inner Diva

 

 

Colors in Your Cupboard

Once you have pared down you will start to notice what color scheme you have and whether or not an item is going to move from the green to the yellow or perhaps the red pile. If she has a red and beige oriental rug and he has a black leather chair the two could possibly meet. It is unlikely however, that a brown leather chair is going to go with her yellow throw rug unless you are going with a Fruit of the Loom theme.

A general rule of thumb is to pick three colors that are interchangeable. Remember two of the colors are base and one is your “pop” color. Right now the trends are in the grays and yellows but first you have to decide if you like those colors to start with. If not, move on - you could be living with that new something, something, for awhile!

If you just don't know what colors you like then take a trip to your cupboard. Pull out the spices and sprinkle different colors on a wax piece of paper. See what works well together. Listen to your inner voice. Color is magical. It can change everything. Consider painting one wall in your kitchen or perhaps the fireplace wall in your living room.

I recently chose all new paint colors for our house that was once sage, beige and cranberry. Now I have Sherwin Williams Portico as my base color which is a neutral beige and my secondary color is Peppercorn, a deep gray. I have "popped" color with a bowl of green pears and a lemon tree on the hearth.

Keep in mind that color is easy to change, well at least from the female perspective. We like to see the room finished and men see every step in-between. My husband and I don't paint together because it likely would have caused us to "go into our own corners". Find a good painter that you feel connected with because if you are going to change your surroundings every 3-5 years then you will likely be painting again.

The hottest colors right now according to House Beautiful are in the blue and gray hues. I especially like Cathedral Gray. Benjamin Moore has a really cool app where you can take a picture and color your walls just by "clicking and picking".

Here is a sample from playing in the cupboard this morning - Garlic, chili pepper and basil. Curry, ginger and pesto. Peppercorn, cayenne and mustard. When you are finished, grab a pinch of each and throw it in the crockpot. Voila! Dinner is ready.

Unleash Your Inner Diva!

 

A Place of Peace

Being at home should be an oasis. A place you want to be. If you have clutter, you will likely feel the same way inside - disheveled. One of the reasons I love to decorate is because you end up with something different from where you started. It’s an opportunity to start fresh. Paint with a new palette.

I have come to realize my passion for decorating is as much about peace as it is work. Perhaps better said, is that "after you work, you get peace". There is excitement in the prospect of sitting in a chair looking around and having a sense of pride, that it is all yours! It’s like taking inventory of what matters.

The things around us reflect who we are. It’s an outside painting of what is really going on inside of each one of us. Think of the homes that you have been in. I recently went to someone’s home whom I had never met before and wow did it tell a story. It was minimalist and elegant. It caused a rapture in my mind of the how it came to be. Simple, white. A large mushroom light took over the new kitchen table below. The rooms beckoned. The lady of the house was just as simple and elegant as her home. Come to find out the design was done by their daughter years prior. She was in an architecture class and had a school project to design a house and then they made it! Spectacular angles, levels and windows that overlooked the bay. I could imagine how a bowl of Granny Smith apples would look surrounded by all of the white.

I love that form and function were married in this home. The kitchen is a gourmet's dream. Steel fixtures and appliances cooled the surfaces but there was something that cried out - make brownies! I knew that wherever I turned there would be something that had a purpose and a plan and by the way - flare! I bet the spatulas were something you could even hang on the wall.

I think the best way to get to that inner peace place with your surroundings is to pick what you love. Start and don’t stop. Don’t buy things because they match – you did that in your 20’s. Buy it, use it and love it! Inner peace starts with you.

Unleash Your Inner Diva!

It's A Start

Today begins the Decorating Divas adventure #1... merging 2 households into 1.

A bit of history first, this couple is in their mid-life stage and they were recently re-married after living on their own for over 10 years. He has lived in this house for 20+ years and she still owns a home that has furniture in every room.

Now think about how much stuff you collect as a single person and times that by 2, plus, a previous marriage or more. Wow! That could be up to 4 peoples stuff under one roof and now add in a few kids who left their memory boxes behind and we are at least at 6 people's stuff. Ow!

So begins the task of sorting, selling, letting go and oh by the way, making what is left match!

This is a task for the Decorating Divas! 2 cousins by marriage, one 1980's house and a lot of really cool stuff that has stories to tell.

My husband and I recently moved to upper Michigan, a place where shabby and chic go together. There are shabby cottages and chic pocket books. There are chic homes and shabby bank accounts and most importantly there are chic people who take pride in where they live but don't need or have the interest in starting all over again.

It's a task and a half to begin, but what you yield will not only provide more peace and harmony in your home it will create a space where you can entertain his, hers and "our" friends and family.

Now let's get down to the nitty gritty and begin, shall we?

Step #1:These are a few of my favorite things

The first step to merging households is to sit down and discuss the emotional stuff. As a licensed professional counselor I realize that you can't take something away until the person knows what they are going to get in return. If Grandmother's Antique Mission Oak Stickley Rocker has been handed down through the generations and you send it off to the garage this may not start the marriage off to   great marital bliss.

Talk about your expectations, timing, non-negotiables and importantly how you are feeling about the merging process. Don't assume this is easy for either of you. Change is more difficult for some then it is for others. Take the time necessary to hear your spouse's heart.

Step #2: Walk and Talk

Dream a little here. Talk about the functionality of each room. Do you want a nice sitting area where the two of you can have coffee together? Do you like to read and need a special light? Do you like like beige and he likes gray?

What are your priorities? Do you want to do one room at a time, mix it all up at once? Do you need a Pod to store stuff while the carpets get clean? Can you move the stuff by yourself or do you need to hire a few strapping high school boys to move stuff around on a Saturday afternoon?

Is there painting to be done? Are there items that need to be refinished or reupholstered to breathe new life into them without buying something new? What is your timing - 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year?

Step #3: Sticker me

Stop off at the dollar store and pick up 6 rolls of duct tape: 2 red, 2 yellow and 2 green. Pour your favorite beverage, handout a roll of each color to both spouses, turn on some cool tunes and get "stickering".

Red- is for STOP and "get me out of here"
Yellow - is for "I love you but you just may have to go"
Green - is for "there is no way I can part with you"

Set a timer for 15-30 minutes and don't talk. Just get stickering!

When the timer dings you can both take a deep breath and decide not to question your spouses choices.

Step #4: Move it, move it (this can be done room by room or as a whole house depending on how much stuff we are talking about)

Move all of the green things into one room or one side of the room , if you can, even if you differ.
Move the yellow into another room/area and put the red items in the garage where your car usually sits.

Call Purple Heart or Goodwill and arrange for a pickup for 1 week from the day you start. This means that your car may be sitting in the driveway for a week but I can assure you that it is worth it to lighten your load. You can also schedule a garage sale if you are the type of person who wants to make cash instead of getting a tax write-off. Make sure you take inventory before pick-up day.

If you have a green and a red sticker on the item just move it to yellow for now and see if you find a good spot for it. Don't fret if your spouse puts green on more items then you do, consider it an opportunity to learn what is important to the other person.

It's a start...unleash your inner diva!