HeyIt'sKim's Profile

During art school I shared an adorable 1920s flat with my roommate. It was within walking distance to a park, our school, and several restaurants and markets. The landlady, however, neglected the common areas - including security features. Our call box (buzzer) was broken and would go off on it's own - 3am anyone? Also, the security doors to enter the building were glass and were constantly cracked, taped, then finally repaired weeks later. Security cameras were visible, but never turned on (which was obvious, as the power indicator light was never glowing), so when we had issues with a neighbor roaming the hallways intoxicated, they were of no use!
Our last straw was a string of events including a homeless individual sleeping in the common mailroom, a neighbor sliding notes under our door (my roommates secret/creepy admirer), and finally the discovery of multiple piles of -eh-hem- excrement of the human nature in the basement laundry room. Check please!

we usually do two trees - the larger traditional tree with a hodge-podge of family ornaments (including ones made by or for kids) - then a smaller tree with a theme or color scheme, like nautical, vintage, white and gold, or natural. This way we can change the little one every few years and continue to add to the larger traditional tree - memories don't need to be a fashion statement, but if you're looking for a way to clean up the look, try evening it out with a few boxes of candy canes - this will add some consistency =)

I agree with not bringing dog items. In our family, there is a bulldog that loves to destroy plush toys, a German shepherd that is on a strict diet when it comes to treats, and a beagle/bassett mix that just doesn't like most toys. Dog items, unless you know the pet and family very well, are a no-no.

It is a fun time to buy gifts - there is a lot of excitement in the large stores, and way more people out in the small ones. Plus, you need SOME way to burn off all that gravy you ate the night before!!!

Super sweet - a great use of a compact space and a nice balance of patterns!

Don't give up! You can do it!

But practically speaking - remember that each leg of the project will probably consume more time than you're willing to admit!

Try this technique. Buy some post-it notes in the worst color you can think of. Then jot down one task at a time and stick them to a window, mirror, door, etc in the room they refer to. As you complete the task (ie: cut in walls, tape off trim, paint trim, roll walls once, roll second coat, remove tape, etc) remove the post-it and destroy it. I enjoy a nice crumple of tacky neon orange!

This way the bothersome squares will inspire you to keep going, you get a micro reward when you finish a task, and you don't forget about some time-consuming but forgetable tasks - why does taking tape down seem to take forever?!

This is also good if you're on a budget (post-its are much cheaper than buying yourself a "gift").

Again - Don't give up!

anyways, very informative - thanks!

I really appreciate the before and after shot from the same angle and with similar lighting (I know the lighting was updated too, but sometimes the before picture is so dramatic you can't tell what design elements were really worth it!) Nicely done!

I agree with AbigailC - lighting can make a huge difference. You may also want to do a little renovation research trick:

Cover your counters with individual pieces of paper. Also put these in your cabinets right on top of your dishes, etc. Go through a whole week and as you use the counter space, remove the sheet that is in the space you need. The same goes with the cubboards...if you need a bowl for cereal take the sheet away from that cabinet as well as the one with the spoons and one from the counter where you'll pour the cereal. You get the idea!

Basically, this will show you the spots you actually use and the places that are less than efficient. Removing some upper cabinets and putting in some nice open shelving and a full wall of mid-sized, bright tile behind the sink would probably benefit you!

Hope this helps!

Epoxy grout is great when it comes to durability, but some contractors will raise their labor charge greatly or refuse to work with it. Instead, there are products out there that are added to the grout when it's mixed, pre-installation, that prevent water- and oil-based stains, resist the growth of mold and mildew, and never require sealing. My favorite is Grout Boost, but there are a few others out there. It adds some expense up front (about $60 per 25# bag of grout) but the idea of never needed to seal the grout is worth it!