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Our New Garage Floor

Our New Garage Floor

Here are all of the details about our new garage floor! What a difference it made in making the garage feel clean and complete. We went with a local company that our contractor recommended, Trademark Garage Floors.  They used the spartacote chip system. It is a polyaspartic, which is a type of polyurea.

Our Spartacote Garage Floor

The Process

The first day was spent prepping and cleaning the slab. They use a diamond grinder to grind the entire floor to remove dirt or previous coatings and ensure proper adhesion of the product to the concrete. Next, they vacuumed the floor and patched any cracks or holes. Because our slab joints were nice and straight we chose to leave them as is and not fill them.

After the floor was clean and prepped, they used a moisture vapor barrier primer as the base coat. This isn’t always necessary but because our moisture reading was borderline, we opted to do it to be safe and warranty against any moisture bubbles. Then they broadcast the color chips directly onto the moisture vapor barrier. The next day they came back to apply the clear top coat.… Read more

My Hunt for the Perfect Farmhouse Entryway Bench

My Hunt for the Perfect Farmhouse Entryway Bench

Last week, I shared the mood board for our new mudroom. I mentioned wanting to include a bench on the wall in between the two windows. For weeks I have been scouring the internet to find the perfect wooden farmhouse entryway bench to use in this space.

Here you can see the wall in question. The wall in between the two windows is where I plan to put a bench. It’s about 69″ wide.

I love the idea of a spindle-back bench that feels very farmhouse-y. I’ve been looking high and low and decided to round up some I found on my search. Here are my favorites.

Farmhouse Entryway Bench Roundup

farmhouse bench

  1. Reclaimed oval bench  (54, 66, 78 or 90″)
  2. Weathered brown teak bench (57″w)
  3. Windsor oak bench (53.25″)
  4. Dexter Bench (60″w)
  5. Low-back bench (59″w)
  6. Curved spindle-back bench (62″w)
  7. Vintage Swedish pine bench (73″w)
  8. Pine spindle storage bench (70″w)
  9. 4-drawer storage bench (67″w)
  10. Teak bench (77.5″w)
  11. Vintage Austrian bench (76″w)
  12. Handmade country pine bench (76.5″w)

Some of these are vintage and some are new. #1 is the only one without a back but I included it because it is beautiful and comes in many sizes.… Read more

Our New Mudroom Design Mood Board

Our New Mudroom Design Mood Board

As our garage + breezeway addition gets closer to wrapping up, I’ve been really narrowing in on design selections for the new rooms we’re adding – the mudroom, office, and wine room – and the plan for transforming our existing small mudroom/pantry/wet bar area into one large butler’s pantry. Although we won’t be able to tackle it all at once, I’ve been intimately considering all the possibilities design-wise. The first area we will likely tackle after the garage is completed and the driveway is installed will be the new mudroom. It’s located in the breezeway between the garage and our house. It will be a high-traffic area and workhouse so I need it to be functional and beautiful.

Our New Mudroom

I have been pinning mudroom inspiration foreverrrr. Here is a little glimpse into my mudroom pinboard:

 

Here’s is the mudroom after drywall.

The new mudroom measures about 21′ long and 8′ wide. We recessed one wall to allow for built-in cubbies but I didn’t have that much wiggle room because we squeezed in a small office on the other side of the wall.… Read more

Cute Ceiling Fans

Cute Ceiling Fans

I pulled some ceiling fan options for a project I’m working on and when I shared a few on Instagram the response was overwhelming.  I had no idea you guys would be so interested in ceiling fans! I decided to make a permanent blog post dedicated to some cute ceiling fans that won’t compromise style.

Cute Ceiling Fans

cute ceiling fans

  1. 52″ Pull-Chain Brass Ceiling Fan
  2. Allison 52″ Fan with Light
  3. 54″ Brass and White Orb Light Fan
  4. Industrial LED Ceiling Fan
  5. 44″ Ceiling Fan with Light
  6. Craftmade 52″ Fan with Light
  7. Silver 52″ Ceiling Fan
  8. Industrial LED Ceiling Fan
  9. Sculptaire 52″ Fan with Light
  10. Industrial LED Ceiling Fan
  11. White and Brass Ceiling Fan
  12. Industrial LED Ceiling Fan

While I prefer to add character and set the tone for a space with a light fixture, I do appreciate the need for a ceiling fan in some cases. Here is proof that cute ceiling fans exist and can keep a space stylish. I love some of the brass and clear or white blade fan options for a kids space or bedroom. The extra detail on #8, #11 and #12 can definitely make a statement in a room.… Read more

A Big Farmhouse Garage + Breezeway Addition Update

A Big Farmhouse Garage + Breezeway Addition Update

I introduced our big farmhouse garage addition project last December (!) and SO much has happened since then. They officially broke ground in March, so we’re about 5 months in and nearing the finish line!

Farmhouse Garage +Breezeway Addition

First, let me remind you about our goal. Since our house has never ever included a garage, that was our obvious first priority. We wanted a three-car oversized garage with plenty of space for Mike’s tools, our cars, tractor, golf cart etc. We decided to connect the garage to the house via a 22′ breezeway addition, which would tie into our side door off of the kitchen and become additional heated square footage. This area is going to become a mudroom, office and wine/bar room.

The break-up of the breezeway into 3 rooms was a modification we made after we had the plans sealed so you won’t see it here but I will include it later on. The process has been fun and interesting to watch. The breezeway is built on a stem wall and the garage is on a traditional slab.… Read more

Fall 2022 Favorites

Fall 2022 Favorites

Summer is coming to an end and all the new fall home decor collections are dropping. From Target to Crate and Barrel, I’m sharing some of my favorites. Fall is my favorite, my home is decorated for fall all year-round because I gravitate toward warm earthy tones so it’s easy to incorporate a few things and make it feel cozy for the season. I’m so ready for fall and am definitely over this Florida heat. I can’t wait to light a fire and make some cider!

Fall Collection Favorites

  1. Hand-crafted pumpkins
  2. Flour sack kitchen towel
  3. Round woven storage baskets
  4. Terracotta urn
  5. Stripe throw pillow
  6. Stoneware tray 
  7. Bleached thistle flower
  8. Paper roll holder
  9. Metal taper candelabra 
  10. Terracotta pumpkins
  11. Gingham sheet set
  12. Pleated candles (set of 12)
  13. Fringe bath towel collection
  14. Tweed alpaca pillow
  15. Ceramic pumpkins
  16. Seagrass woven planter

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I am loving some of the new cozy textiles and patterns this season. I’ve seen some tweed, which reminds me of our recent trip to Scotland. Muted and neutral-colored pumpkins top my list and terra-cotta tones and textures round out some of my favorites.… Read more

Black Outdoor Wall Lanterns Roundup

Black Outdoor Wall Lanterns Roundup

I have been on the hunt for some new black outdoor wall lanterns to complement our existing outdoor wall sconces. Prior to our addition, we had 3 outdoor lights on the front of our house and two on the side porch area. The side porch has been demolished and the breezeway has been built in its place, as a result, those two side lights have disappeared. Since the garage has 4 wall lights I wanted the front of the house to be symmetrical so I had the electricians relocate one of the side porch lights to the front of the house so that we have 4 on the house and 4 on the garage.

 

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exterior wall light placement

Here’s the issue. Our existing wall sconces are no longer available.

They’re gorgeous French farmhouse-style sconces from Restoration Hardware. I also think 8 of the same sconce would be too much repetition so I decided to mix styles. We’re keeping the existing sconces, moving them around a little bit, and pairing them with an additional style. I started pinning lighting that I liked and considered what would look best with our existing sconces.… Read more

Living Room Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

Living Room Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

If you’re following along on Instagram then you know that I recently swapped our living room rug for this pretty patterned one. Well, that’s just the beginning! We are in the middle of making some changes to the room including a new layout. First, let’s look back at where we started.

Here’s a look after swapping the rug for this gorgeous patterned number.

After swapping the rug I was feeling inspired to address our living room seating. We purchased our sectional a few years ago, just after finishing our kitchen reno. It’s always been too small for the space but at the time, I was happy just to have new seating and figured we’d get to it eventually. I measured the space and taped out the dimensions of the pieces I planned to add. This view is perfect for demonstrating how inadequate the sectional was for the space.

Our living room is rectangular in shape so I planned to add a love seat size piece on the side closest to the front door and on the other side, a chair.… Read more

The Transformation of Our Upstairs Catwalk

The Transformation of Our Upstairs Catwalk

It never ceases to amaze me the impact a few small things can make on a space. The upstairs catwalk hallway in our home was a space I never paid much attention to. But after finally swapping the wall sconces, I decided to finish it off. It took only a few things – lights, art, and a rug – and this little spot is completely transformed. It’s now such a gorgeous, welcome sight that I am greeted with when I walk up the stairs.

The Transformation of Our Upstairs Catwalk

Here is a progress shot from when we were in the middle of installing the new sconces. Of course, the lighting junction boxes were located too high on the wall for the new style of sconces so we moved them down a bit.

Here’s how it looks now after installing the new sconces, adding a long runner rug and a piece of art at the end of the hallway. I love how these few pieces work together to give this small area of our house a major upgrade.

Here is the view from the other direction.… Read more

Choosing Garage Doors for Our Addition

Choosing Garage Doors for Our Addition

We are in the pre-construction phase of our garage addition project and we made our first big material selection decision a couple weeks ago, the garage doors. Lead times are crazy so we needed to get the garage doors ordered so they don’t hold us up later. Our permit has been issued and we are waiting for work to start any day!

Choosing Garage Doors

In the drafting phase of our project, we knew we wanted to upgrade our garage doors to a carriage-style look. Our contractor recommended Clopay Coachman doors. Clopay makes a variety of style doors. Their Coachman line is made to look like old-fashioned wooden swing-out carriage house doors. There are several design options to choose from.

I immediately gravitated toward series 1. I didn’t want the cross design you see in series 2. I love the idea of vertical boards on the garage doors to complement the board and batten on the exterior of our home. The breezeway will also be board and batten so it will repeat that look, making it all look like it goes together.… Read more