I have never posted a home tour. Why? I never think my home is ready. There seems to always be a room that needs a face-lift or things just aren’t “done”. So I was thrilled to be invited to Gina’s Summer Home Tour Series. And even though about half of my home is either in the process of a makeover or in need of one, I am so excited to join in!!
I also have to say that yesterday was day 1 of the home tour and I was BLOWN away by the homes. Seriously AMAZING and INSPIRING spaces and ideas. So be sure to check out those homes. Plus, Beckie from Infarrantly Creative’s home is the first one on the tour today, and you don’t want to miss out on all of her amazing ideas. Her craft room she just finished is to-die-for. Don’t miss it.
And now on to my home:
One of the first places that you see when you come into our home is our front hallway. This is where our Family Gallery Wall is displayed. It’s one of my favorite projects EVER! My sister Wenderful took the colorful pictures and I love the scrolly frames and the yellow spray painted table that was my grandmothers.
Leading off the main hall is our White and Aqua Kitchen. Before it was yellow maple and dark backsplash. We painted the cabinets and I wanted to put in subway tile, but we opted to paint the tile since it was so much cheaper and it looks good. I still want to put in subway tile at some point.
We painted the island a bluish-green and I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t work with our brown granite, but I really like it. We painted the walls Martha Stewart’s Sharkey Grey and it’s a very neutral warm grey, which is perfect since I still have brown carpet. Someday I am hoping to put all hardwood floors on the main floor of the house.
We have a family room that joins the kitchen space. It has wonderful, tall ceilings. We made over the built-in TV cabinet to accomodate a much larger TV and I painted it the same Decorator White as the kitchen. Right now my family room is decorated for the Fourth of July.
When my sister moved, I bought her HUGE brown sectional couch. I swear it’s the comfiest thing ever! And it’s so big — two full grown people can sleep on both ends of it. When we redid this space I had the couch slipcovered and it made SUCH a difference!! I have a slipcover in TURQUOISE:
And another in GREY. I switch them out during the year. And I am thinking of maybe having one in WHITE too.
Under the stairs in our family room is a little recessed cabinet. When we redid our kitchen we also painted this area white and installed beadboard. This is my favorite area to decorate for different seasons. Right now I have a fun frame wall that I created with thrifted frames and Pantone’s Emerald Green paint color.
And right off of the family room is our laundry room. I took the room, painted white, added board and batten and stenciled between each section. Then I found a chandelier on Cragislist in Rhode Island and had it shipped to my home and installed it in the center of the room. We also installed recessed lights and put them on a dimmer which makes such a difference. I painted the cabinets – the top are white and the bottom are a teal/blue. We also took out a big closet in the room and put in some lockers so the kids have somewhere to put their boots and coats in the winter. My favorite part of the room is the crystal knobs.
My living room is another area that I like to switch up often. It also has a mantel, which is a little more formal than the mantel in my family room. Right now I have a pretty Green, Turquoise and Wood mantelscape with succulents in mason jars.
Right off of the living room is our formal dining room which I turned into my office about 8 years ago. Recently I acquired a new office so I have been transforming this space into a homework/music room for my kids. When we turned it into my office so many years ago, we took the open wall and added studs and drywall to create a wide doorway and then we installed paneled french doors to close off the space. It gives the room a little privacy while still maintaining the same formal dining room feel, for resale value. I am in the middle of making this space over — the GIANT navy chalkboard wall is one of the latest projects in that room.
Another space on the main floor is the beachy powder room. I painted it white and added board and batten and I also painted the cabinet white too. I painted the ceiling a darker teal than the walls. And my favorite part of this room is the FREE 1940’s chandelier that I scored off freecycle.com. All I did was put an ad on that site for chandeliers and someone responded saying they were redoing an old home and had a chandelier I could have. If you don’t know that site, be sure to check it out for great deals. Everything is free.
My younger girls have rooms next to each other upstairs with an adjoining bathroom. Hannah’s space we redid a few months ago. We stenciled one wall, installed some storage on two sides of the room and I painted her bed. We also gave her chandelier a makeover as well as adding some jewelry storage, a new Scrolly Frame Bulletin Board and a Teen Command Station.
Ella has been begging me for a little room update. When she was younger she wanted a “Chinese Room”. So I painted her room a bright melon color, I made some wainscoting with sheet metal. And made a focal point on her ceiling with some Chinese Fans.
My bedroom has been in the works for 3 years. I have a plan now and I am hoping to get it done this summer – yay!!!
My third, and oldest daughter has a room in the basement. We redid her room about a year ago with a Nautical and Beachy vibe. We created a planked wall with painted and whitewashed planking. Then I put board and batten on the other walls and painted them navy and white. I also added hooks to the wall next to her closet and created a little extra accessory storage. All of these changes really brightened up her room SO much. It is such a different space now and she LOVES hanging out in her new room.
Our guest room is also in the basement, next to my daughter’s room. This is one of my favorite rooms now. I painted the room the same color as the rest of the rooms upstairs – Sharkey Grey. Then I planked the focal wall. I wanted this room to kind of coordinate with my daughter’s room which is next door. Instead of planking the wall vertically, we planked it horizontally. And whitewashed the boards. I love the way the accent light highlights these planked boards at night. It’s so pretty! I also make a Beaded Chandelier for this room.
And I made a duvet out of a fabric shower curtain AND upholstered the existing headboard. Another of my favorite projects was the stenciled Greek Rug I painted for the floor. It’s such a bright and welcoming room now.
On the outside of the house, this year I painted all of my resin pots YELLOW. And paired with my grey and white outdoor rug, my outdoor space is so happy and pretty now.
That’s my home so far. Some of the spaces that I am working on finishing for 2013 are — my master bedroom, my girls’ shared bathroom, my guest bathroom in the basement and my upstairs hallway. I hope you will stay tuned for those projects!!
One thing that has really taken my attention from my home in the last year is my NEW office! It’s a 1905 cottage that we purchased last June and it’s only 4 houses away from ours. We GUTTED it and have been rebuilding it completely. And I am so excited to say it’s almost done!!! It really has been such a labor of love. Mostly because it has so much history in our area and we are so happy to be able to save it and restore it to something that I hope the original owners would love.
Here are a few pictures from this project:
You can find out more about my #1905Cottage here. This is a project that I am just starting to blog about. I am so excited to share more about what we have done and what we have in store for this little gem.
And I have to keep it real. I have four kids. My husband travels. My home gets used and lived in. Most of the time, this is what it looks like around here:
Be sure to head right over to the next house on the tour — Chris from Just a Girl is sharing her home. And it is amazing. You will love it!!!
And here are the rest of the homes on the tour. Plus, you can link up YOUR home on Friday and show it off. And there are prizes too – so fun!
Complete listing of all the home tours
DAY 1 (June 3rd)
– – – – –
DAY 2 (June 4th)
– – – – –
DAY 3 (June 5th)
– – – – –
DAY 4 (June 6th)
1- Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality
2- Traci @ Beneath My Heart
3-Stacy @ Not Just a Housewife
4-Jen @ Jennifer Rizzo
5-Lindsay @ Makely Home
6-Sandra @ Sawdust Girl
– – – – –
DAY 5 (June 7th)
Have a Happy Day!
xoxo
I loved the house tour and I especially loved the your banquette in your kitchen!!! Did you build that yourself or purchase it? Please let me know where/how I could get something like that for my breakfast room.
Thank,
E
i think my favorite may have been the beachy chandelier- thank you for posting the tutorial for that! ☺
i’ve pinned it and shared it for all to enjoy!
xoxo, sharonna misha
I am wondering how you made your dinning nook. We have a very similar set up and have been looking for some ideas on how to create a sitting bench sort of thing for under our window.
Carrie
Is the island color Jade too? Same with the laundry room?
Love the frames in the family gallery! Where did you get such things?
Love these house tours! And your home is gorgeous!!
Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com
We are in the process of shopping for a new bed for our daughter. Where did you purchase Ella’s bed?
Your house is gorgeous! Very hard to pick just one favorite thing 🙂 Absolutely love all the color you’ve used!!
Jen,
Your home is lovely. Colorful, fun and welcoming..I am sure just like your family. Have a great weekend
Sarah
I really love your house. It is exactly my style. I also love your love of chevron <3
Warm, colorful and welcoming. Just like the lady who lives there. xoxo
How beautiful is your entire home? I love it. And can your daughter and puppy be any cuter? I die. I spy like five things I would like to steal. ;} Kidding not kidding. Can I come over?
Jen, you have a beautiful home and yard! I love your vibrant turquoise slipcover and frames. Thanks for the tour!
I love those turquoise frames and the pops of color all over your home! I want that pattern on the wall!!!!
Your house is fabulous Jen!
Love all the yellow & turquoise! Such a HAPPY place filled with lots of LOVE!
Had no idea the 1905 cottage was purchased for your office!
That is just over the top awesome! What a great idea!
Loved the tour!
You are precious!
xo
Every single picture is inspiring! I love your decorating style. Would you mind to link this up to my blog hop? Our readers would LOVE to see all this! Thank you!
http://carriethishome.com/2013/06/frugal-crafty-home-blog-hop-26/
Your home is beautiful! Now I want to paint something yellow, coral, gray….love it all!
Thanks,
Debbie
Thanks Debbie!! That really means so much coming from you. Thanks my friend!
xoxo
just an fyi … the link above for chris@justagirl goes to a go daddy page
Thanks Lesley!! I will check on that link!
xoxo
WOW, what a beautiful home! Thank you for all the inspiration!
Thanks so much Emma!!
xox
Love the paint color of your living room. What is it? I may want to use that in my living room.
Hi Tina!
The paint is jade from home depot’s Eco paint line 🙂
xoxo
Beautiful home, Jen! Thanks again for the tip on the Sharkey Gray, it’s transformed our home and we get so many compliments. It is the perfect warm gray. I feel ya on the master bedroom, ours has always taken the back burner and is always the room that gets its door closed when company comes. 😉 Can’t wait to follow your cottage makeover!
Oh yay!! I am so glad you like the color. I love it too!!
I am hoping to get my master bedroom done this year. Maybe we both can!!
xoxox
I’m swooning Jen- but I think we have already had the discussion about how similar our tastes are. Oh how I wish & dream for the day when I can move my hubs taste for a rustic cabin decor to a more clean, bright & cheery feel. (although we do live in a cabin at the moment so it would be out of place) 🙂 You home is just as beautiful as I knew it would be. I can totally relate to the feeling of it never being quite done. There are always things you have plans to do.
Thanks my friend!! I appreciate you so much!
xox
Jaw drop… what comes to mind first is the word FUN! Your home is fun to look at and I’m certain a blast to live in! There’s so much colour and brightness you can’t help but feel it! Love how the colour bounces you around. My total fav eye grab was your open shelving with the SODA crate. WHY did that draw me in I wonder?! 🙂
Fab tour, Jen!
Donna!
Thanks so much my friend!! This was so fun but I feel like I need another year to get my home where I want it to be. I appreciate you so much! And I can’t wait to see your home!!
xoxo
You are hired as my personal home designer. 😉
haha Lisa – you are on 🙂
xox
Shut up! A turquoise slip cover?!? How have I never seen that before? Absolutely beautiful home, Jen! Thank you so much for joining 🙂
haha isn’t that fun Gina! I love that turquoise pillow cover it is so bright and happy. Thanks for including my in your home tour. It has been so fun!
xoxoxo
Jen~Your home is beautiful! Great inspiration. I love all your pops of color. My favorite is the turquoise slipcover. Where did you get it? Please tell me it was really cheap!! 🙂 Thanks for opening up your home to us. ~Linda
Hi Lisa!! I had my friend Shelley from Slipcovers from Shelley make the slipcover. She has an awesome DIY slipcover tutorial on her site if you want to make one. http://customslipcoversbyshelley.blogspot.com/p/how-to-slipcover-dvd.html
xoxo
So pretty! I love the light bright colors you use in your house. It’s inviting and fun!
We just moved into our house a year ago and I have so far to go. I understand what you said about a home tour but I’m going to try to join in. 🙂
Hi Stacey!!
I hope you will join in the link up! I would love to see YOUR home!
xoxo
Love it all. I especially love your older daughters room. I also am considering painting my living/family room in a blue/green. What color did you use in your living room?
Hi Cammie!!
My living room is jade from home depot’s Eco paint line 🙂
xoxo
So stunning Jen!! All of your color combos are so lovely!! I adore that beaded chandelier, I’m going to have to pin that one for sure!
Hi Karen!!
Thanks so much my friend. I feel like there is still so much to do before it’s ready to be shown off, but it’s so fun to see the progress. Thanks for coming by and commenting. I hope you are having a great Spring!
xxox
It’s hard to believe you have anything unfinished! From room to room, your home is so happy, so pretty! And that cottage?! Dreamy!
Thanks Roeshel!!
I feel like there is so much yet to be done. But it’s so fun to see the progress. I really am having such a fun time with the cottage. I adore the apartment you did for your daughter!
xoxo
Love. What is the color of your yellow hall table?
Hi Jessica!!
I spray painted that table with Lowes Golden Maize spraypaint.
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=127246-4-410.0085203.076&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3728627&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=rel&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1
xoxo
Your home is fun, colorful and whimsical.
Fondly,
Glenda
Hi Glenda!!
Thanks so much!! I appreciate you taking the time to stop and and comment.
xoxo