The Yellow Cape Cod

Dramatic Kitchen Makeover Reveal~Before and After

Before sharing today's exciting kitchen makeover reveal, I wanted to announce that my E-Book "DIY Interior Design For Real People" is currently available in a gigantic bundle of 76+ DIY related E-books ($34.95 for the complete bundle) for the next five days only. Please click here for details.

Now, back to the makeover…This kitchen belongs to my clients; Sara and Erik. You have seen a few makeovers from around their home here on the blog. This project has been the most exciting so far. We have been busy working together on this project for the last few months. I've shared little sneak peeks on my instagram feed so it may look familiar to some of you. While I tell you how this kitchen makeover came together, let's take a look at the dramatic before and after photos...

Here is what the kitchen looked like before…

(Before)

And here it is now...

(After)

(Before)

(After)

(Before)

(After)

There is so much to share about this makeover that I've decided to break in down into a few posts. Tomorrow I'll be back with a closer look at the space with all the details and specifics on the materials used, paint colors, product sources, etc.

(Before)

(After)

This project began last summer. You may remember the post I wrote on the "before" kitchen. Sara and Erik liked their kitchen before the makeover, but they were looking for ways to improve function, incorporate more storage and bring a custom, more personalized look to their home. A brand new custom kitchen was the answer.

(Before)

(After)

After sharing the "before" kitchen on the blog, it was gently removed and sold to a new family who was in the process of renovating an old farmhouse not far from Sara and Erik's home. Selling the old kitchen was a great way to help offset the cost of some of the high end features of the new kitchen.

(After)

In addition to enhancing the look of the home, the new kitchen improves the function of the entire lower level. Secret storage areas and doorways incorporated into the amazing wall of cabinetry (shown below) cleverly disguise a hard working family command center/computer desk, a walk-in pantry/utility room, a beverage station and…wait for it... a play room for the kids!

This brand new custom kitchen is the collaborative work of myself, Architect Christopher Macklin, Custom Cabinet Maker Chad Gladding from Gladding Custom Cabinetry, Carpenter/PM Rob Toth and homeowner's Sara and Erik.

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for a closer look into the space.
I currently have openings for new online design projects. If you would like to get started on a room makeover, now is the time to make your reservation before the spring rush fills our schedule.

*Please note, this post may contain affilitate links. All photography by Sarah Macklem.

For information on my affordable online design service, please click here.

Who Wants To DIY With Me?

I'm so excited to announce my participation in one of the coolest DIY resources ever. Over the past few weeks, I've been busy behind the scenes creating an E-Book to be included in a bundle of over 76 e-books and e-courses from a group of insanely creative bloggers. If you are anything like me, you love the feeling of creating something of your own. You know that the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in DIY'ing is pretty hard to match. I began DIY'ing at age 18 in my very first apartment and instantly became addicted.

It's hard to believe, but I've been blogging about DIY projects for almost 6 years...

The great thing about DIY is that there’s so much to get involved in. Like me, you may have started with decorating, or creating gifts, or photography, but there’s this huge world of DIY opportunities out there, and all of us have probably only scratched the surface.

The only problem is… how do you decide which project to dive into next? Not to mention, it can get expensive so quickly, buying more resources, more books, more patterns. What if you had a wide variety of inspiring resources right at your fingertips, but for a fraction of what you would usually spend? And from trusted sources of people that inspire you daily through this amazing internet blogging world.

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For just $34.95, you get access to a carefully curated library of over 76 eBooks and eCourses from the world’s leading DIY and crafting bloggers – enabling you to pick a project and jump straight into it with confidence. It’s the perfect tool to skip the information overload and throw yourself straight into a new activity.

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Not only that, but The Ultimate DIY Bundle comes with 4 awesome bonuses, worth over $118. That’s 3x the price of the bundle alone! These include…

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This deal ends in just…

Pick up your copy right now, before it’s too late. Or, learn more here.

Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle.

How To Find Your Creative Genius

Have you ever felt like you have lost your creative mojo? I think it happens to everyone at some point for many different reasons (stress). Even the most creative minds can get burnt out and feel uninspired at times. I'm talking even really super duper creative people like The Nester. Good thing The Nester is a gifted writer in addition to being a creative soul. She's experienced creative burn-out first hand and has written a four step E-mail course that will help you rediscover and re-claim your inner creative genius.

The best part, it's FREE!

If you're looking for your creative mojo, click here to get it back.

Your first email will come within an hour and will include fun, simple worksheets and tips to jump start your creativity. Enjoy!

I'm signing off for a few days to concentrate on some very exciting client projects. I'll be back on Monday with details on something REALLY COOL I've been working on behind the scenes.

Here is a little hint...

A Fresh Family Room Online Design Plan

Welcome to 2015. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We've been busy in the studio preparing to ring in the new year with new project openings. I'm happy to announce we are ready.

We are currently accepting new online design plan reservations!

For more information, please click here.

Today's featured online design plan is a recent project we just wrapped up for Bob, Maria and their kids. Our goal was to give them a fresh, updated and current Family Room design that could be a jumping off point for the rest of their new home.

(All product sources provided at the bottom of this post)

To begin, we suggested painting the walls a color similar to this modern gray color from Sherwin Williams; Agreeable Gray. For the fireplace, we recommended a makeover to update the surround. Replacing the existing red brick with stone would give the entire space a fresh new look. If replacing the stone is too much for the current budget, than we suggested painting the brick warm white for a quick interim fix. This is a great and inexpensive way to update the room until new stone work is in the budget.

Here is a look at the true to scale floor plan illustration we provided to show how all of the items we used in this design plan fit into the space…

We recommended using the bottom wall as a place for a large family photo gallery. We suggested that they mix and match different photo frames in with photo canvases to give the wall interest. We even added art and decorative pieces like this large iron clock from my home decor collection into the mix.

For the coffee table, we selected this large table with storage underneath from Ballard Designs. The black painted finish is stunning. To complement the new coffee table, we chose these spectacular end tables with the most amazing wood shelf detail.

We incorporated new sofas from Pottery Barn and two accent chairs from Ballard as the main furniture pieces.

We brought in two bookcases and placed one on either side of the window. These bookcases from Ballard will be amazing for extra storage and display, they will also anchor this side of the room.

Beautiful accent lighting is provided by these charming, large scale, ivory distressed lamps from The Yellow Cape Cod home decor boutique.

For personality, pattern and color we applied this mix of pillows on the upholstery. Pillows are a simple and inexpensive way to add excitement to the room. Adding a pop of color through pillows can easily be interchanged when the room needs a quick face lift.

To ground the seating area, we introduced a large black and white area rug. A large rug is an easy way to cozy-up a sitting area. This rug brings a great, eye-catching graphic quality to the design that lends a contemporary feeling.

For the windows, we applied custom roman shades. This treatment is ideal when you have tricky windows similar to the corner windows in this space. We suggested keeping the fabric light and bright similar to the diamond pattern shown here.

In addition to the items shown in this post, there were more recommendations and specific product selections provided in this custom design plan. Additional furniture and accessories were included in order to deliver a complete, professional, ready to implement room design.

If you would like to get started on an online design plan for your home, I currently have a few openings. Now is the time to make your reservation before we are full, spring is right around the corner and it's our busiest time of the year. Thanks for stopping by.

For information on my affordable online design service, please click here.

Product Sources

Rug

Elaine's Modern Coastal Inspired Master Bedroom

Welcome to 2015. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We've been busy in the studio preparing to ring in the new year with new project openings. I'm happy to announce we are ready.

We are currently accepting new online design plan reservations!

For more information, please click here.

(All product sources listed at the bottom of this post)

This master bedroom design plan is an example of a recent online design plan we created for Elaine's Master Bedroom. Our goal in this project was to give her a serene master bedroom design that will be a relaxing retreat for her and her husband. The design plan has a modern coastal-inspired elegance with pieces that were selected to function perfectly for the size of her room. An interesting treatment was also provided to address her concern with offset windows behind the bed.

We suggested painting the walls Benjamin Moore 1563 Quiet Moments. It's a gorgeous mondern, blue-gray tone that will look really elegant in the room.

We recommended this stunning espresso seagrass headboard. It adds beautiful texture to the room and will really make the bed a statement piece.

We replaced her existing dresser with this contemporary multi-functional chest. The size suits the space perfectly and the Distressed Sail Cloth finish creates a light and airy feeling. This chest not only has loads of storage but, also contains 2 drop front drawers that can house the cable box and DVD player.

I suggested adding this charming trunk to the foot of the bed. It will provide added storage for extra pillows and blankets as well as add interest and character.

We incorporated this soft and cozy throw to accent the new bedding. The gray and pale blue combination will tie in nicely with the color scheme and add a nice layer to the bed.

We recommended these gorgeous concrete tapered lamps to set on each nightstand. The natural concrete material will be a beautiful organic addition to the room.

We chose these modern planters for the wall next to a floor length mirror. Greenery is a great addition to any room and this is a one of a kind way to display it. These planters will add life and freshness to the space.

I recommended this fun wire wall hanging for the small corner wall next to the bathroom door. It's simple, yet bold and will be a great addition to your serene bedroom.

I suggested replacing her existing nightstands with these coastal inspired pieces from Wayfair. The open shelves add an airy feeling to the room and the white finish will look great against the dark headboard. We also gave her a pair of wire baskets to use in the open shelves for attractive storage of books and magazines.

This serene bedding set from Wayfair was selected for the bed. The mosaic tile pattern is really unique and the beautiful soft blue will add color to the room. This soft color palette next to the seagrass headboard is a stunning combination.

In addition to the items shown in this post, there were more recommendations and specific product selections provided in Elaine's custom design plan. Additional furniture and accessories were included in order to deliver a complete, professional, ready to implement room design.

Thank you for stopping by.