CELEBRATE!

CELEBRATE! 

That is what this season is all about, right? 

MANY people have asked me about the candles that I had burning in my house during the Webster Groves Holiday House Tour. They all said it smelled incredible and reminded them exactly of what the holidays should smell like...

Good news!  

For a limited time, my friend and amazing designer/entrepreneur, Todd, from TOD will be selling his CELEBRATE candles. These candles have been retired for a while now, but he has decided to sell a limited amount of them due to the interest in them from the Webster Groves Holiday House Tour requests...YAY!!  

They are $22 each and worth every penny.  

 If you want one, please give him a call or text at 
(314) 504-0402. 

Enjoy and CELEBRATE this holiday season!

Goodbye 1970s...Basement REveal

Finally, it was time for the fun part of this basement REdo.  It was time for the decorating!  

We were ready to make this basement a family room.  

However, we all know this costs money, so my client lived with just freshly painted walls and new carpeting for over 6 months to be able to save up for furniture.  Her boys loved the open space to play for hours upon hours of shinny hockey with their friends!

Bean bags, a flat screen, a whole lot of empty carpet space to just PLAY!  (Perfection for two young boys!)

During the spending freeze, we did research on lots and lots and lots of sectionals.  We were looking for DURABLE, inexpensive, and cute.  No such luck.  We found tons of durable and cute...but none of them were inexpensive. 

And then SWAP and SELL came to my rescue...again.  (If you do not know what SWAP and SELL is, it is an online garage sale in the community that you live in that can be accessed through your FB feed...and it is pretty great if you are patient and a hustler, like I am.)

I found an Ethan Allen 3 piece sectional, less than 3 years old, barely used...originally paid $5000...but the seller was asking only $800 for it.  

Ummmm, YES please!

And the best part?  My client did not have to pay a dime.

Why?  Because she negotiated...and SWAPPED her incredible photography services for a family photo session for the sectional.

Boom...there's the HUSTLE that I love!

So, here is her "new" sectional in her new and beautiful FAMILY room.

Coffee table and side table also purchased for under $30 on Swap and Sell.

Crate and Barrel table and chairs are off Swap and Sell, as well. The table had just been freshly refinished...bonus.  

This table was a freebie off the curb...

A fresh coat of white paint spiffed it up to just blend in the space.

Pillows with texture were a must...thank you I O Metro.

This cute white cabinet was purchased at HomeGoods and helps to anchor and balance the left side of the fireplace underneath this small window.  It is a great focal point as you walk down the stairs.

Bright and cheery while feeling warm and cozy at the same time.  

We are thinking of changing the toe kicks of the stairs.

Maybe a stencil or wallpaper?

See how the pieces on either side of the fireplace balance each other out?

The boys are thrilled to still have space to play shinny hockey!

GOODBYE 1970s!

The 1970's Got Its' Paneling Back!

Progress...bye bye 1970s!

Ripping out the paneling took just a couple of days...

Drywall, taping, mudding, and sanding took another week...

It's looking more and more like 2015!

Stay tuned for the renovation REveal!

Goodbye 1970s!

The 1970s called and wanted their paneling back!

This basement was a huge selling feature in the purchase of this house...with great open space, large windows flooding the room with natural light, and a working wood burning fireplace!

Stay tuned for the REdo...an easy renovation that transformed this dated basement into a warm, functional, and updated family room!

Closet REdo REveal

By far this was the easiest and fastest REorganization/REdo project I have ever done with a client!

It took 30 minutes to take everything out of the closet and put it back where it belonged...basement storage area, under the sink, the hallway, and in the trash.

My client spent under $15 at Target buying new MATCHING velvet hangers...she is in love with them now...jackets and coats stay where they belong instead of falling on the floor.

She REused plastic storage bins that she already had to contain the mess of "must haves" such as extra sunscreen, tools, wipes, and technology cords.

She REused the wall hook bar that was stuffed and lost inside the closet on a shelf to hang her broom, dustpan, and mop that she uses on a daily basis.

She painted the shelves to give the closet the finished look it deserves...little details matter.

Most importantly, she feels organized and not stressed when she opens this closet multiple times a day.

Before:

Overwhelming
Cluttered
Overstuffed
Insane
Unfinished
Overpowering
Ridiculous
Messy
Tangled
Lost Child






After:

Neat
Tidy
Amazing
Relaxing
Finished
Organized
Cohesive
Easy
No Child

SOS...I need serious help!

I need serious help.

That was a text I received from a friend/client late in July. 

I was in a panic for just a second before I got this photo...

I laughed out loud.

Serious help?  

Yes.

Emergency?

No.

I told her not to panic (like she had just made me feel for a brief minute), and that we could fix this "serious" problem when school started.

Until then, I told her to close the door...but first pull her child out of the closet.

School started yesterday for her kids, so I was there to help.

Stay tuned for the closet REorganization REveal...it was quick and easy!

Powder Room Redo

So originally the powder room was not on the list of REdoing for this client, but I just couldn't help myself.  It needed a little zshuzshing in a bad way...and I knew I could do it on the cheap.

Before...

The only art in the in the small space was fairly outdated...and held no special meaning to the clients. 

So I picked up just a few things for the the powder room when I was shopping for the living room...

$24.99

$8.99 for each

Instant update for under $45!

 

I collected this mirror, star and gold letter S from my client's house and grouped them together on the wall across from the toilet.  Instant impact with interest!

All the art ties itself together and compliments each other well.

Again, a little zshuzshing goes a LOONNNNGGGG way!

Living Room REdo REveal

I have to say that this living room project was extra fun because I was lucky enough to have help from one of my best girlfriends.  Her real name is Billi Jo, but I call her Billi Zshuzsh...perfectly describing her sparkly personality! 

REcreating this living room was incredibly enjoyable thanks to my partner in zshuzshing!  Hope you enjoy the photos as much as we did creating them...

Before:


During:

After:

Before:

My client liked the rug and couch/love seat that was on the PINTEREST page I created for her...



...as well as the curtains I pinned.

The curtains were 15% off with another 20% off with my designer discount. I purchased the all the hardware from Bed, Bath, and Beyond on sale and with another 20% off coupon. (Remember, it's always the HUSTLE for me!)

After:

New:
couch and love seat, rug, linen curtains, curtain rods/hardware, pillows, console table, lamps...still need to purchased a large, round mirror for above the console.

REpurposed:
ottoman, side tables, art, photos, candle, floral

Mantel before:

Mantel after:

Added "S" and two silver lanterns with candles

Bookshelves before:

Left side:

Right side: 

Bookshelves after:

Added everything except books, candle sticks, bowls of decorative balls, letter S, and nesting doll

Up next?  

Powder Room REveal!