My Powder Room Makeover With Sherwin Williams~And A Giveaway

 

When I was asked to make over a room in my home using one of the Sherwin-Williams color selection tools, I knew right away it would be our red powder room.  Our family of five (including three kids) has given the room a beating.  I've always loved the red paint color, but I'm ready for a change.  Over time, the red has faded, as you can see here in this photo…

 

 

 

 

 

I decided a neutral paint color would be best for the new space.  As a professional decorator, I am constantly changing things up.  A neutral paint color will give me the freedom to use different accent colors as my mood and the seasons change.  

 

Before the fun stuff could begin, the space needed a little TLC.  I retired the artwork and towel bar, which left me with a little drywall repair.  Using spackling paste, I got to work filling holes…   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the holes were patched, I primed them with gray tinted primer.  My friend from Sherwin-Williams suggested using tinted primer to completely cover the red prior to applying the new color.  

 

Here it is after the priming step...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the room was prepped, I headed back to Sherwin-Williams to start the color selection process. 

  It's always fun visiting my local Sherwin-Williams store.  The girls there have become my BFFs.  They visit the blog and knew what I was up to.  It was fun to give them the inside dish on the makeover. 

 

I selected three color cards and took them home.  

 

 

 

 

That night, I signed into the Sherwin-Williams Color Visualizer and uploaded a photo of my bathroom.  The Color Visualizer allows you to picture your space before you paint it.  

 

I narrowed my favorite colors down to three.  I was able to locate them easily in the search bar, and apply them to my photo using the virtual paintbrush.  Using this tool was way too much fun: I painted my bathroom three times with three different colors in less than five minutes.  The Color Visualizer also provided different accent color suggestions.

 

Here are the three colors I used to virtually paint my bathroom…

 

 

{Garden Gate}

 

 

 

{Cast Iron}

 

 

 

{Connected Gray}

 

  

Stay tuned to see which one I chose to use in the final reveal of my new powder room. 

Other plans I have for the space include additional storage, pops of color with fun accessories and a fresh coat of paint on all the trim and cabinetry. Can't wait to share the finished space!

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

How do you find color inspiration for your home projects? Tell us in the comments below, and you just might win a $100 Sherwin-Williams gift card from BlogHer!

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

 

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

 

The Official Rules are available here.

 

This sweepstakes runs from 5/1/2013-5/19/2013.

 

Be sure to visit the Sherwin-Williams brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

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

Before/After~Powder Room Makeover

Recently, I had the privilege of providing an online design consultation for a wonderful client, Anna. Anna was planning a makeover on her main level powder room and she asked me to help her create a polished look.  After providing her with a custom design plan, she got to work implementing the design and the results are fabulous.  Last night, she sent me "after" photos and she gave me permission to share them.  

Before we get to the "after", let's take a look at what Anna's powder room looked like before the online design consultation…

{Before}

Some of the elements we incorporated were a custom board and batten wall treatment, a dramatic new wall color, accessories/decor, new mirror, lighting, hardware, and fixtures.  We also added "feet" to the stock grade cabinetry for custom detail.

Here it is now...

{After]

Anna did a wonderful job bringing the design plan to life.  She even took it a step further by making her own custom art...

Board and batten wall treatment and the "feet" added to the cabinet gave the small space a big personality. 

Since the space is small, there was not a lot of room for accessories.  This meant whatever we chose had to be special.  An iron soap lotion dispenser from Potterybarn was a great choice. 

Thank you, Anna for giving me the opportunity to create a design plan for several rooms in your home and also for sharing your beautiful new bathroom with us.  It looks great!  

For information on my affordable online design service, Please Click Here. 

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

DIY Custom Wall Lettering Tutorial

At the end of this post, I'm looking for suggestions for a new inspirational quote to paint in Hannah's new room.  What's a good one for a 13 year old girl?

Today's DIY Custom Wall Lettering Project is an easy and inexpensive way to personalize a child's space.  For the purpose of this tutorial, I'm using my daughters room as an example (her old room, before the recent makeover).

  When she was little, she was totally in love with horses.  She wanted a horse themed room, so I conducted a little Google research to find inspirational quotes.

Here is the three step tutorial…

1. Choose Your Phrase and Font(s)

After you have selected your phrase, type it into your computer in the font(s) of your choice.  In this example, I selected two different fonts and enlarged the two key words.  The bolder your letters are, the easier they will be to paint, so don't forget to convert your typeset to "bold".

2. Project and Trace The Phrase

There are three different ways you can apply your phrase to the wall..  

A. Old School Method…Overhead Projector

If you have access to an overhead projector, this method works very well.  Sometimes you can borrow them from your local library, office supply store,  or school.   After printing your phrase onto plain white paper, take it to your local office supply store and ask them to copy it onto transparency film.  (Unless you have transparency film that is appropriate for your printer at home).

(source)

B. The New Gadget Way…Handheld Projector

Instead of using an overhead projector, you can use a small handheld projector like this one from 3M (sold at Target).  Instead of printing your phrase,  simply connect the gadget to your computer and project it onto the wall directly from your monitor.  

Once your phrase has been projected onto the wall, you will be able to see how it's going to look before you begin.  After you've determined the perfect placement, a carpenters level will help you make sure the phrase is level.  Using a pencil,  trace the image on the wall.

C. REAL OLD School Method...Tracing Paper

If you do not have access to an overhead projector or a handheld projector, you can use wax-free tracing paper to trace your quote on the wall.  Wax-free tracing paper can be found at your local fabric store in the pattern aisle.  If you go this route, you will have to print your phrase in the actual size and piece it together prior to tracing.  You can save printer ink by converting your typeset to "outline" prior to printing. :)

3. Fill in With Paint

 Once your quote has been traced onto the wall, fill in with a small detail brush and the craft paint of your choice.  In this example, I used black acrylic craft paint for the phrase and gold metallic craft paint for the key words.

 The best thing about this project was aside from my time, it cost next to nothing.  When Hannah's love affair with horses ended it was easy to paint over.   A light sanding and a quick coat of Kilz primer did the job.

I'm considering painting a new quote in Hannah's room but I can't decide on one.  She's 13 and I'd like something that is inspirational/motivational for a girl her age…any suggestions?

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

Click here for information on my affordable online design service. 

Clean and Calm~Gray and tan living room

"Clean and calm" describes today's featured online design plan (currently accepting new reservations). This project was for a gorgeous living room belonging to a wonderful, young family.  From their responses to questions on my client questionnaire, we were able to learn a lot about our clients and their lifestyle.  They also provided a link to their Pinterest pins boards which gave us insight into their style preferences.  They prefer a simple, clean, uncluttered aesthetic…not too many patterns, soft subtle colors and transitional style (upholstery over slipcovers). 

Photos and measurements of their space gave us all the information we needed to create a custom design plan for their uniquely shaped living room…

We began this project with a large geometric patterned area rug,  light neutral colored sofa/love seat and an amazing gray linen upholstered chair/ottoman.  For contrast and sophistication, we added dark wood, clean line, transitional style occasional tables.  

The custom color palette for this space was based on the clients amazing stone fireplace.  The upholstery, rug, accessories and art we chose reflected gorgeous tones found in the natural stone.

Design Tip:

For symmetry, we recommended a pair of lamps flanking the sofa.  In an asymmetrical space,  accessories and furniture placement can create the illusion of symmetry.

A carefully chosen mix of pillows brought texture, pattern and color to the space.  The collection of pillows we curated for this design can be mixed and matched as the client desires.

For natural texture and greenery, we recommended this pair of potted boxwood (available in my shop, click here for details). 

Design Tip:

 If you have trouble keeping plants alive but love the look of a real plant, these are the perfect solution.  They are made from real, preserved boxwood.  All they require is a light mist of water every 30 days to keep them looking fresh.  

  To bring height to the wall opposite her large, amazing fireplace we suggested placing these over a new pop-up flatscreen tv console…

Scale was important in this design, the room is large and the stone fireplace has an amazing presence.  The client prefers clean, uncluttered spaces. Therefore, it was important to use large scale pieces.  In this project, the "bigger is better" and "less is more" philosophies were applied. 

To get started on your affordable custom online design plan, please click here.

To view samples of my recent design projects, check out my Pinterest Pin Board of Online Design Projects here.  

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

*There is more to this design plan, however out of courtesy to my client I'm unable to share all the details.  Thank you for understanding.  Please feel free to use this design as inspiration for your space or click here to reserve your very own affordable custom online design plan. 

turquiose and lavender girls room inspired by art

Today's featured online design plan is for the sweetest little girl, Kendall, who is graduating from her nursery into her very own big girl room.  I began Kendall's custom room design with adorable and unique artwork.  A set of four super-sweet prints set the scene for a beautiful turquoise and lavender color palette…  

Here is the furniture layout I suggested for Kendall's new room.  This illustration is a true-to-scale representation of her room and the furniture I recommended for the space...

For the bed (Land of Nod) the client loved the look, but actually found an upholstered version with a similar shape that was a bit softer with fantastic tufting detail.   The bedding I chose is a quilt set from Potterybarn in some of Kendall's favorite colors.

For the dresser, I suggested refinishing a vintage find in a soft turquoise color.  New crystal knobs would give the piece additional character and femininity, like this...

The prints that were the basis of the design are a perfect representation of Kendall's sweetness…

This set of four prints (Kendall's Prints) are loaded with charm.  Four different culinary masterpieces are framed in crackled, distressed, off-white pierced metal frames with a soft gray glaze giving them depth and tons of character. 

Kendall's prints are available for purchase by clicking on the "shop my collection" tab on the right margin at the top of my blog.

When I came across this unique set it was love at first sight, I immediately added it to my collection of home decor merchandise.  

To further customize the space,  Kendall's monogram will be hand painted over her bed.  Another suggestion I made was to replace the current lighting with a consignment chandelier refinished in the same turquoise as the "new" dresser, like this... 

The wall color options I provided for this design plan were soft white, gray or lavender.

The room was finished off with soft white, layered-ruffle drapery and coordinating bed skirt.  I can't wait to see this space come together.  Thank you, Kendall and family for inviting me into your home.

Image/Product Sources:

Bedding: Potterybarn Kids

Headboard: Land of  Nod

Drapes: Potterybarn Kids

Kendall's Prints: TheYellowCapeCod.com

Chandelier Image: Etsy

Dresser Image:  http://cottagehomemaine.com

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

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

*There is more to this design plan, however out of courtesy to my client I'm unable to share all the details.  Thank you for understanding.  Please feel free to use this design as inspiration for your space or click here to reserve your very own affordable custom online design plan.

Navy and Coral Family Room

Today's featured online design plan is for a family room inside a gorgeous home located close to Lake Erie. After consulting with the client through my client questionnaire, I learned a little about other areas of her home.  This helped us design a space that flows with adjoining rooms.  Some of the colors she has used are gray, navy, coral and "macadamia".  We also learned that she wanted her family room to convey coastal style in a clean, contemporary way.  Her desire was a comfortable, casual space that wasn't too "cottage-y".  

Here is the family room we created for her…

She already has a really nice pair of neutral upholstered sofa's.  Using them, we offered her two furniture arrangement options…(the rectangle in the upper right corner represents a three sided fireplace). 

In both arrangements, we incorporated a new set of occasional tables. The tables we chose for the space are in warm wood tones with simple, clean lines.  Transitional style tables keep the space from feeling too "cottage-y".

Solid navy full length drapery are a perfect backdrop for these amazing coral ikat patterned chairs from Ballard Designs.  A beautiful see-through lamp is a great solution for instances where a large lamp needs to be placed in front of a window.  It feels light and airy, doesn't block the view and a glass base glistens beautifully when the sun shines through it. 

Let's talk about the mirror, this is one of my favorites.  We suggested she place it over the fireplace.  This piece has a gorgeous weathered navy blue finish that lends a nod towards coastal style.  It's dressed up with sharp, straight, clean lines and a beveled edge so, it's the perfect choice for our "refined coastal style" family room.  In the event this piece was a little too rustic for her taste, we gave her an alternate option. 

A fun mix of navy and coral toss pillows in solids and patterns punched up the sofa's.  

Coastal inspired artwork was arranged gallery-style around a wall-mounted flatscreen tv to create a large focal point over the new media unit.  Since the fireplace is located in the corner of the space, we used the media unit and the long wall behind it to create the main focal point.

 In the end, art and accessories are really what give this design a coastal vibe.  If the day comes that she decides to change the coastal theme of this space, she could easily do so by simply switching up the art.

Thank you for stopping by!

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

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

*There is more to this design plan, however out of courtesy to my client I'm unable to share all the details.  Thank you for understanding.  Please feel free to use this design as inspiration for your space or click here to reserve your very own affordable custom online design plan. 

DIY Trophy and Team Photo Display Shelf

Last night was the official start of our spring sports season.  The kids were so excited and in true Michigan fashion everything was cancelled at the last minute for inclement weather.  

None-the-less we are still excited to update our Trophy Display Shelf with 2013 team photos and trophies.  If you missed the original post, I created a interchangeable trophy and team photo display shelf for the boys growing collection.  It was a super easy, super quick project that the boys absolutely love (click here for the step by step tutorial).

Not only did it help to corral their sports medals, trophies and photos, but it's a great way to neatly display their achievements.  The photos are easily changed with the seasons and the shelf is extra deep to accommodate many years worth of trophies and medals as well as some of their equipment.  

Click Here for the full tutorial on this easy DIY project.  If you follow the tutorial to make one of your own, send me a photo. 

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

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