This room became a room everyone wanted to hang out in.
The lesson here is don't keep the pink brick.
The Pink fireplace goes what else but White
Rain rain go away
I thought when we moved to Oklahoma we would not see rain ever again. I was wrong. I have been wrong for the past three weeks. In fact I was so wrong that we decided three weeks ago on a hot sunny day to start installing a pool as we wanted to be prepared for the long hot sunny Oklahoma summer. I was wrong. We do have water in our pool just the wrong kind. Here is a picture of the rain collector in our backyard. Someday it may get finished but not anytime soon. 
Hoping for summer weather soon.
Xo
Sj
Renovate to sell
Clients that want to sell their homes don't want to spend money. I completely understand. The 13 houses I have renovated for myself all required updates to get them sold. So I totally get when they tell me I don't want to spend any money to sell but the saying "you need to spend money to make money " is very true.
This house was a home in a neighborhood with homes in the million dollar price bracket but it did not look like a million dollar home. It had sat on the market for over a year when the seller contacted me to give my opinion on why no one would pay them 1.5 million. This home would be lucky to sell at a million even with updates as it didn't have a wow factor. It was a custom built home but the seller didn't do anything special.
This master bath is a good example of that as it had a very unattractive porcelain tile, cultured marble counter tops and brass fixtures with a dark brown cabinet
Plus for a master bath it just wasn't glamorous nor was the lighting
We tried to be cost conscious andsaved the cabinets by painting in a Benjamin Moore white dove high gloss
We replaced the tile with a natural travertine stone from Lowes and the countertop was a beautiful marble with undermount square sinks new fixtures in bronze New lighting from Circa www.circalighting.com
New frameless shower door
Shower fixtures in bronze by Delta
Tub remained and we changed gold fixtures to bronze
New cabinet hardware and we have a fresh master. Not over the top glamour but tastefully done and one a new buyer would appreciate.
From a Pink Master Bath to What else: White
Who doesn't love a Pink Bathroom, white tiles and some navy cafe curtains? This bathroom was so much fun to redo. We inherited great space with plenty of room to add a large shower. The original layout had the water closet and the shower inside the same space with no window dark inside and not very pretty. We took down the wall and reconfigured the water closet in the same area but walling up the shower and opening the shower to the bathroom to gain a larger shower and natural light. We ordered a vanity from Restoration hardware as it came with a marble top. We added a new tub and a marble surround placing the tub as an undermount vs. a drop in. I love the way that looks so clean and finished. The pretty tub faucet is functional with the hand held makes it easy to clean you the kids or dogs or all three.
The pink bathroom
original vanity and cultured marble top time to retire
original space
The original layout with the shower inside the water closet area.
another view of the original shower
original toilet facing the shower
Here is the shower facing the toilet so we walled this side up and opened it to the bathroom facing the tub.
Old tub
great space
Here is the new toilet area
We took out the second vanity and made room for a piece of furniture
framing the new shower which now faces the tub
view of original shower toilet area
looking into the original water closet shower area
original shower which faced the toilet in a dark room with no natural light
old tub
This tile has to go
new space gutted
new framed toilet/water closet area
new shower opening and door to water closet/toilet
My favorite Kohler undermount tub
Me calling for help!!
I love the use of subway tile, classic, inexpensive and we used two sizes for some interest and grey grout
lovely marble floors from Lowes
We were able to build a bench seat
Frameless shower door fabulous!
We used Delta fixtures in chrome and added a hand held makes cleaning your shower easy
Lovely Marble surround on the tub deck
New restoration hardware double vanity
So Much Better
Happy Friday
xo
SJ
The White Kitchen:
I was thinking this morning how much I miss transforming brown kitchens to white and that I wonder if I will ever want a wood stained kitchen. That thought lasted about one minute. When I look at real estate listings either on my Knoxville mls or on realtor.com at homes across the country I rarely find a wood stained kitchen that I love. So when I find a kitchen filled with darkness I can't help but think (I can't wait to have this kitchen repainted or ripped out ) This kitchen had just been remodeled. I know even my own Mother wouldn't have painted these cabinets and maybe I am adopted. The backsplash was new as well as the granite tops. The sink was an undermount and the faucet was in the bronze family( also not a family I can relate to) The cabinet hardware were cup pulls and although I don't love those I didn't want to sand and fill holes so we replaced them with like kind in a polished nickel finish.
We painted the cabinets in Benjamin Moore white dove in a high gloss as I like a little shine. The walls are Benjamin Moore Natural creme. The counter tops are polished calcutta gold marble and the back splash is Lowes subway tile with a grey grout.
The sink is a Kohler farm sink specifically for remodels and the faucet is by Rohl in polished nickel.
Hope you enjoy your Wednesday. I am dreaming of my next white kitchen.
xo
SJ
The replacement light
The thankful things in my life
Tennessee has been my home for over 15 years and certainly feels like home to me and my family.
Although my parents moved me to Oklahoma when I was 9 from California I never really felt like Oklahoma was my home. So as I have been here in Oklahoma for the past 10 months it has felt longer. Everyone here has been gracious and kind and tried to make us feel at home. I wonder how long it takes for something to feel like home. So as I complained to The sweet chicken selling husband yesterday how I missed my old house (yes all 13 of them)and my friends and my work with great real estate and design clients and all the amazing realtors that have been kind to me In a very competitive business. I thought today I don't want to blog as I was feeling sorry for myself! Then I saw a picture I took last Sunday of my sister Lolly on her 41 Birthday. She is 10 years younger than me and my baby sister. I have felt like her Mom on occasions and she and I have always been close. She is my voice of reason when I am about to fall off my crazy cliff. She is kind. She is special and she is smart. She is an elementary teacher and her husband Matt a women's college basketball coach. They recently bought their first home in a nearby town close to me and I went and helped decorate. My sister is a teacher and her husband Matt a college coach with two young children so the budget doesn't allow for shopping sprees. So I went to TJ Maxx and Ross and got lamps and art and frames and helped make their home special ( I hope)
Waverly my niece loves her room and Cael my nephew ( who is so sweet and was born with a cleft lip) was also excited but when I didn't have time to finish his room he wants me to come back and finish decorating. Design/ decorating does make a difference for kids especially in a new home and new city as they are experiencing. Waverly has taken anyone who comes over "to see her room " and says she loves it. So while I am still sad and missing my home I am so thankful today to be able to spend time however long or short with my sister, my niece and nephew and my brother in law.
