Back to It: Creating & Inspiring
Now that Labor Day has come and gone, my self-imposed summer slowdown mode is over. Today I am getting back to my regular work schedule – which is creating and hopefully inspiring you to live your life in your own style.
Over the weekend I filled in my project posting planner with projects that I will be doing over the next few months. Today I am sharing one that I put on the back burner at the beginning of the summer.
I focused on getting that done over the weekend while Ed took out the last row of holly. You may remember that he has been working on removing them over the past year. (There was a lot and it was big and overgrown.) Check…Check…off the To-Do list.
When we were putting new flooring in the game room, I mentioned that I finally replaced the last of the antique brass doorknobs that were on all the doors in my house. 14 new doorknobs in total, including the double doorknobs on my front door with these oil-rubbed bronze beauties. I added these last summer when I painted the doors using a Faux Wood Finish Paint Technique.
I had switched all the interior doors with Schlage’s Bowery Knob with Greyson Trim in a polished nickel finish. Even though doorknobs seem like a minor detail, they have all made a big difference in helping me transform my 1970’s home to one that fits my style. The details in decor really do matter…knobs and even switching out all the antique white outlets and switch plate covers to white. :-)
Looking at my project list in my planner, I realized I wasn’t quite finished with replacing doorknobs, I still had one more doorknob to go on an exterior door. This simple brass doorknob’s time was up and so was the color of the door.
Here is the Before and After. I painted the door to coordinate with the color and faux wood finish that I created on the front doors of my house and replaced…
the knob with this Schlage Andover Knob and Trim in Antique Bronze. The color coordinates now with the exterior light fixtures that I updated soon after we moved into the house, which will be 3 years ago come December.
While I was at it, I went in search for a new doormat to add some style to my otherwise utilitarian garage. I bought it at Kirkland’s. I like that it looks Fall-ish without being too autumn themed. It makes me happy to see a pop of color even in the garage.
Another project we started over the last two weeks is adding new flooring to the master bedroom. Ed was on a roll and has already removed all the wall-to-wall carpet, padding and a gazillion staples. He even got it all to the dump. Now we are just waiting for the new flooring to arrive so we can begin installation.
We have two walk-in closets in the room. The white shelving units and drawers on the left in the photo above are from the closets since the carpet had to be removed in each closet.
Once the new flooring goes in each, we will move these back in and continue on into the main part of the bedroom. For me, this is the hardest part of installing new flooring, having to move everything out of the room, even the big stuff. Most of the bedroom furniture is piled up in the foyer right now which makes for quite an interesting entrance.
As you know, when you start one project you begin to see other things around it that need to be changed or updated, too. That happened here. While there is no pretty floor to mess up, I have painted Ed’s desk, and am going to whitewash the brick on the two far walls. I might even paint or paper the wall behind the bed to create an accent wall. I ordered some samples and will decide over the next few days.
I also am adding an area rug that looks something like this one that I just LOOOOOVE!
On Saturday, I’m putting down a new floor in my kitchen. We have old, dingy black and white asbestos flooring that is gross and impossible to keep clean. We’ve painted the cabinets and replaced the countertops and backsplash, so the floor is especially out of place now. I’m laying a luxury vinyl on top of it so as not to disturb the asbestos. I’m so excited to get started! That will be a major project marked off of my to do list.
After that, I’m planning a master bedroom makeover – nothing major – just new bedding, curtains, and painting a dresser. Maybe a new headboard too, but we’ll see.
Good luck with your master re-do. Can’t wait to see it!
Hi Marie – Sounds like you have been busy updating your kitchen to suit your style. You will love the LVPlank. It really looks like real wood and is so easy to take care of. IF all goes as planned you may have a new floor by the end of the weekend. Hope it all goes well.
Hi Diane – I love your energy and projects. Looking forward to seeing the end results. As for me, my home is turning into a daycare center. My 4 month old granddaughter is taking over our house but, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am looking for ways to add shelves to the tops of the closets to make storing items easier.
-Lisa
One and one half years ago we sold our brick Tudor and moved to a condo so all my projects are much smaller. This summer I recovered some unloved cushions that came with our couch and made two more out of an indigo batik skirt. I now have a range of blue or blue and white pillows that really tie the living room together. I also finally added room darkening curtains in both our bedroom and the guest room. My last project was re-arranging the closet so my shoe cubbies were in easy reach and added more shelves. It makes me happy to walk in my closet and see everything sorted and labeled and within easy reach.
It is the little things that make me happy.
You and Ed have been busy! Can’t wait to see the next step. Hope you will share the wallpaper samples. Sounds fun to do an accent wall.
I love what you did with your front doors…especially that hardware. We spent most of the summer re-landscaping our yard…improving garden beds, transplanting. We have only small projects to do this fall…but they will be easier now that cooler weather has come and the rain has temporarily stopped. I’m excited to see your master bedroom…you always do such a terrific job! ;)
Wow looks great especially like the door knob
Now that summer will be leaving ,and I am so happy that it is . VFlorida summer’s are just too hot . Now I can get to my gazillion projects that I want to do . My problem is that I feel like I’m always cleaning ,doing laundry ,cooking , doing everything else but my projects . It’s just me and my husband so I shouldn’t have so much to do . How do you do it ,you look like you have a bigger house than I do. Do I just stop so much housework and just work on my projects ? I feel like they will always be on the back burner .
Wow! So wonderful.
Beautiful.
Diane, I love your doors. They look so nice with the faux wood finish. I have a door from my garage into the house that I did with a tool to make it look like wood, but I think I like yours better and mine after many years is due for an update. Looking forward to seeing your bedroom redone!
Hi Diane, like a previous poster above we just bought a new home to us after being in one place for 30 years. Oh where to start with all of it. In the new place we are combining two bedrooms into one with a walk in closet, expanding a kitchen wall to give more space, and dividing a family room to make a sewing room and a dining room- all to be knocked out and rebuilt before we can move in. There is a lan of action just wish it moved a bit faster. Your projects always encourage me. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Diane,
Your website always gives me inspiration! We are in the process of buying an older home, once we close on it we are demoing the kitchen and taking out a wall to open it up to the LR/DR. I’m excited but also a bit overwhelmed by all the choices that have to be made…and packing 28 years worth of memories.
Any suggestions on where to start?
You’re right, Diane, the perfect details take a project from fabulous to exquisite, love that door!
Your Ed never fails to amaze me! What an undertaking – pulling up all of that old carpet and padding, painstakingly removing all of the staples, (don’t you wonder sometimes what people were thinking when they used ALL of those staples?!) and hauling the whole mess away, what a man!! Makes me smile. When our two children were small, they adored Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, particularly the “Handyman Negri” character. That little character sang the cutest song, “A Handy Lady and a Handy Man”. Oh, they loved that song, knew all of the words and sang it often!
That’s you and Ed! :) Can’t wait to watch that master bedroom progress!
Love the front door!!
Thanks Holly – It has been a year since I painted it and added the new hardware. It turned out exactly how I wanted it to look. Since it came out well and I still had paint left it was about time I gave the same treatment to the other exterior door.
Love the front door, Diane! Your choice on door knobs gets another thumbs up.
Your energy has spurred me on to making some changes in my home, and it is enabling me to have space for a newly upholstered antique chest. Out with all the stuff that has been holding me hostage! It feels sooo good!!
I love everything you do!
Will you please give details on painting the exterior doors??
I love the color!
Thanks,
Hi Joni – Thanks for asking this question about how I painted the door to look like a faux woodgrain finish. I meant to add the link in the post to the tutorial post I did about it. I just added it to the post, but here it is, I even did a video. :-) https://inmyownstyle.com/how-to-paint-faux-woodgrain-finish-on-front-doors-and-more.html
Three years?? Wow, where has the time gone! Look at all you have gotten done in your new home, and I have done….uhm, pretty much nothing by comparison. I DO have other things that keep me busy and involved though. Humongous garden with a gazillion home canned goods and my freezer is overflowing with 3 varieties of sweet corn on the cob, not to mention bush hogging the pasture twice this summer…..Sigh, I’m looking forward to Fall and the garden winding down! And I can hardly wait to see what else you have planned!
Hi Sharon – I know it doesn’t seem possible that it has been 3 years since we moved. We are so happy we made the effort to upset life for a bit to make the move. It has been well worth it in every respect for us. Sounds like you are busy with your home and garden pursuits. I always wanted to make my own canned goods, but never got around to learning. Enjoy the harvest. Bring on fall. :-)
Thanks, Diane…yep I’m ready for sure. I’m so happy for you and Ed, being on the lake and doing what you want to do. Here’s to another 3 years and more!
I can’t believe it’s been three years since you moved! Time sure flies. We just purchased a home so I’m excited to put my own style to it as I’m hoping this will be our LAST home. I’m eyeing the kitchen cabinets first. I’m off to do some research and look at paint colors. Wish me luck!
Hi Kris – How exciting that you just bought a home. Doing the kitchen cabinets or anything in the kitchen is a good place to start since this is the heart of the home, especially going into the colder months. The fall is the perfect time to paint, not too hot or cold so the paint dries just right. Enjoy putting your own style in every room.