Chartreuse Sunroom

 Every now and then I get a 'wild hair' ... meaning a spontaneous impulse to do something. Most often it's a home design project and sure enough this weekend that was the case! I had actually decided when making my Summer list that I wasn't going to tackle any rooms until after school started. I should know myself better haha

I decided to add chartreuse paint to our sunroom! 

Our sunroom is the room that literally lights up my days. It's surrounded by windows where I can see the sunrise, bird watch and enjoy the beautiful scenery of God's creation. It also houses bunny Ethel and several plants I've been tending for years.

I've felt like the white walls, while clean and bright were not complimentary to the rich bold colors in the room or the nature surrounding it.

Now the art, furniture, floor and windows really POP!!!

Since purchasing our home we've designed this room to look like a conservatory with classic black & white tile flooring, bold tropical furniture and pretty art.  This post shares our sunroom transformation from the beginning. 

Fun Fact: I painted the sunroom in our first home the same chartreuse color.

Tip: I paint the air vents and switch/outlet plates.

Like my gal pals says "white wall are not me!"

Paint: Sherwin Williams Chartreuse

Dress Your Home Beautifully with Color

XOXO Sarah Louise

Transformation Tuesday: Family Room

Welcome to our family room.  This room is more informal as we do not host in here.  It is in the back of our home leading out onto our patio.  It is also off of our kitchen/breakfast room which is convenient as Vivian can play in here and I can see her while I prepare meals.  We have a small table and chairs for her in one corner and a toy chest on the opposite wall seen here.
This room houses pieces of furniture from our previous homes that while not designed intentionally, serve well for now.

I love the large fireplace and the variations of colors in the brickwork.  I don't care for the mantle and hardwood stain as they are too dark and rustic for my taste but that seems to be everyone's favorite when they visit. I will be replacing and staining them both along with all new lighting.

We plan to install custom built in cabinets with shelving on both sides of the fireplace when we update our kitchen.  We will be opening up the wall between the two spaces so in efforts to create continuity of the design we want the cabinetry in both areas to match.

Until then, these glass etageres are great place holders! They serve well for displaying decor and photos of us, contrasting the dark elements with shiny gold trim and keeping the room light with the glass shelves.

I styled them symmetrically with a gold vs silver motif.  I used items around my home and the pictures speak to us and the memories of our life.  Naturally, you'll see blue and white porcelain as it's the color scheme throughout our home.
I also love having live plants in every room.  They add life and remind me of God's creation.

When these etageres are no longer needed they will easily be useful in a bedroom, office, hallway, bathroom or closet.  They don't have a large foot print so they can be used in practically any space.

This room originally had dark brown paneling, stained trim and a tan ceiling. UGH
When we were purchasing this home we referred to this room as the dungeon den! It was so dark and very very brown! We had it ALL painted and gracious you couldn't help but say 'let there be light!' when it was completed.
We also ripped down the blinds immediately so that we could see the beautiful outdoors clearly through the windows and door.

BEFORE

We enjoy the sunshine, views of our backyard and have a lot of fun playing with Vivian in this room. In future years this room will be where she hosts her pals without infringing on our more formal spaces with her belongings/activities or disturbing the adults should we also be hosting.
The direct access to the patio and backyard is one of my favorite things!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of the transformations in our home this month.

I plan to do it again this Summer showcasing our foyer, dining room, powder room and kitchen.

Spoiler alert: there will be lots of beautiful wallpaper :)

Dress Your Home Beautifully with Paint & Etageres

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Transformation Tuesday: Home Office

A must have with our home was a room for Ryan to call his own.  He dedicates a portion of his free time to studying medicine (love that he's an over achiever and wants to be the best he can be) and needs a space to do that. And as tacky and annoying as it is, he has 'stuff'.  It's comprised of mostly mementoes from his love of his undergrad alma mater Chapel Hill, medical schooling, golf and his time serving in the US Navy. I'm embarrassed to share that he would have taped posters and knick knacks everywhere if I didn't intervene. He huffs and puffs at my involvement in his room but I refuse for it to look like a college dorm! 

Disclaimer:  I did not get free rain to style this room but we did compromise slightly. 

Prior to making his mark we had to put some 'lipstick on this pig' and by lipstick I mean paint.

We were not fans of these built-ins however we had to do something to spruce them up until we decided on a design plan for this front room.
We had painters overhaul practically every surface in our entire home prior to moving in (best decision ever!!!) and that included a bright white over all this brown stain.

Note: I fully respect DIY but it truly isn't for me. The professionals knocked this out in no time. 

We also had crown molding added. I've shared before, moldings are everything to me in a home.  It's one of the MOST important details, in my opinion.  Unique moldings are huge appeal in our decision to purchase older homes. With all the custom moldings throughout this home it is beyond my understanding why the prior owners removed the moldings in this room when installing these built-ins.

A very brown before

While the fresh coat of paint really packed a powerful punch it was very one dimensional so I decided to roll up my sleeves and add some contrast by painting the back wall of the shelves.  Thank goodness the selves are adjustable so I could take them all out.

I wanted this room to have a very masculine style because I knew the rest of our home was going to have a lot of feminine colors and prints.  He deserves to have one space that feels like him.

I chose a dark charcoal color. I almost went with a super dark navy/ink color but I wanted it cooler and more neutral.
Painting with a dark color isn't easy so there are some edges that aren't perfect but we aren't keeping these very long and no one should be looking too closely.

Paint Colors

Built Ins & Trim: Chantilly Lace

Shelving Back Walls: Wrought Iron

Walls: Classic Gray

This room and our den house leftover mismatched furniture that serves as filler pieces to get us by until we implement a more permeant design.  While I'm often insecure about these rooms, our home is not a magazine spread but a place where memories are made and laughter shared.

In the future we will remove theses built-ins and replace the lighting.  Adding a desk will have a smaller foot print allowing this room to also serve as a second guest room with a sleeper sofa or maybe we'll go modern with a Murphy bed! In our home we believe the more the merrier!

Dress Your Home Beautifully with a Fresh Coat of Paint

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Bathroom Brights

Down the hall, first door on your left.  That's where you'll find our 'bigger' guest bathroom.  We have a powder room for guests as well.  (That's a sticky subject - I'm DYING to add bold wall paper but Mr's foot is down on his veto vote)

For our mid-century ranch home we were quite please with the size of this bathroom to accompany the extra bedrooms.  In fact it's much bigger than our master bathroom.  It was renovated just prior to our purchase almost 2 years ago - wow times flies! I must say at first I wasn't thrilled with the tile, cabinet and fixture choices in our home's baths or kitchen but I quickly grew quite fond of them.

I wanted traditional and he wanted new and modern.  I won! #happywifehappylife
This house has gorgeous crown moldings, plantation shutters & real hardwood floors throughout and solid wood doors; it even has 2 pocket doors!! I'm all about the details. But all of these trimmings are painted in a rich beige color.  That was hot 50 years ago but now the bright whites and greys are the shades of interior design.  Now, our family room is the only room painted grey with white trim.  That room, kitchen, powder and master suite are the only exception to the beige on beige motif.

When I say beige motif I'm saying every other room had beige walls and beige trim.  I said 'bye bye beige'.  Within months of moving in, the formal dining, living, entryway and hall way were painted.  Next came the sunroom.  Gals, I need to step up my game and share those with you!

But back to this guest bathroom. The tile choice is a warm yellowish tan and it's on the floor and in the shower floor to ceiling.  The granite is also on the warmer side with dark cabinets, dark hardware, lighting and mirror,  Pair that with beige and I hate to say it, but it was rather dingy.

For such beautiful finishes they were muffled by the lack of light.  There's no window so the sinks, toilet and shower curtain were carrying the bright load.

BEFORE

SO, rather than fight the beige I decided to compliment it.  With white walls!  I received a less than enthusiastic response from others. White??!!  It's so builder-grade, plain, and sterile.  They were right it can be.  But there are exceptions and I trusted my design instincts.

AFTER

I added pops of emerald green with this monogramed shower curtain, hand towels and original art.

In the end these white walls not only brightened the space, it highlighted all of those warm dark elements so they could shine.  Bathrooms should feel clean and fresh and this polished coat of paint did just that.

Paint is the work horse of interior design.  You'll have a huge transformation for a small price.  Choose wisely and always always get a sample first!

Paint: Benjamin Moore 'Chantilly Lace' 

Dress Your Bathroom Beautifully with a Fresh Coat of Paint

XOXO Sarah Louise