Create Your Own Ice Bucket or Wine Chiller

November 14, 2010 by 93 Comments

Welcome to the 95th Metamorphosis Monday! Update: If you like this ice chiller but don't want to make one from scratch like I did, you'll find similar ones available for purchase here: Ice Chiller. Also, here: Ice Chiller Recently, I received a catalog in the mail and it showed a picture of a silver ice bucket that could be used to make a diy ice chiller. I was tempted to order it until I realized the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Recipes, DIY, DIY Decor Knock-offs, Recipes, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , ,



Party Planning: Sending Out the Invites

November 8, 2010 by 55 Comments

Welcome to the 94th Metamorphosis Monday! Holiday Party Planning: Earlier today, I posted the Top 10 Reasons many of us give for not hosting a holiday party in our home. Over the next few days, I want to help you overcome those objections and fears. I am not a certified party planner...just got a few parties under my belt. :) I've always worked outside the home full-time, matching my schedule to my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After



Fireplace for My Dream Library

October 25, 2010 by 92 Comments

Welcome to the 93rd Metamorphosis Monday! I need your help today...tell me what cha think! On a previous Met Monday, I took you into my living room that I am hoping to turn into a "library" some day. (You can read that post HERE .) I have plans to put floor-to-ceiling, built-in bookshelves all down the wall on the right side of the room. A few months ago, I found one of the main components for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest Tagged With: ,



Decorating for Halloween

October 18, 2010 by 39 Comments

Welcome to the 92nd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I mentioned on Facebook that I'd love to see your fall and Halloween decor. Three BNOTP readers sent some fun pics showing the metamorphosis of their homes for the season. Pinky shared her front porch all falled up. Love the scarecrow! Beautiful wreath! Perfect for fall! Marian who lives in Lousiana knows just how to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, The Holiday Home Tagged With:



Decorating for Halloween, Mice on a Staircase

October 10, 2010 by 110 Comments

Welcome to the 91st Metamorphosis Monday! I don't know if you've noticed, but there seems to be a mice/rat infestation going on around Blogland.   I bought these a few weeks ago but just had a chance this weekend to open them up and play today. My staircase has gone through an interesting metamorphosis.   With the light in the entry on...   Here's how the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Entry/Foyer, Halloween Crafts, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, My Nest, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , ,



Kitchen, Pantry and Stairway Renovation

October 4, 2010 by 47 Comments

Welcome to the 90th Metamorphosis Monday! I love it when readers of BNOTP share pics of recent renovations, because I get to share them with you! :) Brenda, a reader of BNOTP lives in this adorable house with a wrap-around front porch. It may look small from these pics...but it has 6 bedrooms! When Brenda and her hubby moved into their home, they knew it would need some serious updating. They had … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With: , , ,



Update to Autumn Basket

September 29, 2010 by 19 Comments

My Fall Basket: Well, I took everyone's combined advice and I: 1. Decided to keep the fall basket on the door since most of you liked it. I made it taller and skinner so I think it looks much better...less wide and overwhelming on the door. And 2. I cut the whiter flowers off the bunch of sunflowers they were attached to. I dispersed them throughout the arrangement. For some reason, they looked … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: , ,



An Autumn Basket for the Front Door

September 26, 2010 by 127 Comments

Welcome to the 89th Metamorphosis Monday! I need your help today...I can't see the forest for the trees, so tell me what you think. I have a pretty fall wreath I sometimes place on my door...but this year I thought I'd try a basket instead. Here's how my front door has looked all summer. Nice, but time to put this look away and welcome in the fall season... I found this large basket … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home Tagged With: , , ,



Glass Front Cabinets for Your Kitchen

September 20, 2010 by 62 Comments

Welcome to the 88th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Met Monday! How was your weekend? I've had out of town company all weekend so mine was busy and fun. We did a little antiquing and I came across a wonderful basket that I think will be beautiful hanging on my front door for this fall. It's huge so it will be a challenge to fill...hope to be sharing it with you soon. Metamorphosis Monday: For this Met … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, My Nest Tagged With: , ,



A Beautiful Bedroom Renovation

September 5, 2010 by 58 Comments

Welcome to the 86th Metamorphosis Monday! When Amy first purchased her one-hundred year old home in Florida, she had a vision of how she wanted each room to look. She knew she wanted the rooms to be comfy but she also wanted them to have a touch of elegance. Today, I'm sharing how Amy transformed her bedroom...the Before and After is truly stunning. As you can see below in this Before pic, the walls … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With: ,



Beautiful Bath Renovation

August 23, 2010 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 84th Metamorphosis Monday! Hi Everyone! Hope you've been having a fantastic weekend. The rain finally let up here and we've had a gorgeous summer day. I love summer and will be so sad to see it go. This week for Metamorphosis Monday, I'm sharing a bathroom renovation. It's not one of my baths...how I wish it was! Mary, who lives in the beautiful state of Virginia, sent some great … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With:



Knockout Rose Trees Knock Out Squirrels

August 7, 2010 by 60 Comments

In early spring, April to be exact, I went in search of "something" to fill the two tall urns that stand on one of my decks. The past two springs I had purchased tall hibiscus, but Mr. Squirrel, who lives in my backyard, tip-toed onto my deck every. single. day. and stole almost all the leaves off the two hibiscus, one leaf at the time.   I was not amused!   So, this year I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, For the Love of Birds, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature



Monogramming Sterling Flatware, Great Idea or Huge Mistake

July 25, 2010 by 113 Comments

Welcome to the 80th Metamorphosis Monday! I love monogrammed silver. I suppose I could attribute it to having been "raised" here in the south where  monogramming has long been a standing tradition. Actually, I've never known anyone who had monogrammed silver, or if they did I don't remember seeing it. But for me, it's a reminder that family is important, family traditions are important and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fall Tablescapes, Spring & Summer Tablescapes, Winter Tablescapes Tagged With: , ,



Extreme Homes-Church Becomes a Beautiful Home

July 11, 2010 by 60 Comments

Welcome to the 78th Metamorphosis Monday! Metamorphosis Monday: Recently, I received an email showing an interesting metamorphosis and the following wording/pics: "A couple purchased an old church in Kyloe, Northumberland. They invested a lot of money on the interior but the exterior remained almost completely intact. They did more of a restoration rather than a renovation, which would have cost … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes



Restoring Vintage Linens

July 5, 2010 by 85 Comments

Welcome to the 77th Metamorphosis Monday! I'm excited to share an awesome metamorphosis with you this week. Susan, whose blogs at, My Place to Yours, loves finding old linens that appear ruined and ready for the trash heap...and saving them...restoring them to their original state. Have you ever wondered if and how this could be done with stained vintage linens? Susan is going to show us today, then … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, DIY Organization and Storage Tagged With: , ,



Laundry Room Renovation

June 21, 2010 by 35 Comments

Welcome to the 75th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings! How was your weekend? I've been busy outdoors cleaning the deck where my grill and bistro table live, in preparation for staining it tomorrow morning. Whew...glad I'm almost done with this "cleaning and staining the decks" project! Brenda recently shared some pics of her newly completed laundry room renovation. She describes her laundry room as more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With:



A Whimsical Idea for a Garden Bench

June 5, 2010 by 50 Comments

This was just outside a shop I was in recently...isn't it a hoot?! Someone has cut holes in the seat and sunk the pots down into it. So, don't throw out that old piece of furniture...just paint it with an outdoor grade paint and you'll have a delightful planter for your garden.  Love it! Visit How Sweet the Sound for more Pink Saturday fun! A Classy Flea: A few weeks ago, my all time favorite … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: , ,



Cleaning and Staining Decks

May 24, 2010 by 70 Comments

Welcome to the 71st Metamorphosis Monday! A few Met Mondays back, I shared this blue hour pic showing a candelier that hangs from a pergola over one of the decks off the porch. Well, something got ticked off with me and decided to take it out on my candelier. I've been bringing in the bird feeder that hangs off this deck area because something cleans it out every single night. And apparently, something … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: ,



Hiding Ugly Swing Chains

April 26, 2010 by 97 Comments

Welcome to the 67th Metamorphosis Monday! Metamorphosis Monday: I don't have anything dramatic to share this week for Met Monday, but I thought I would show you some of the spring fluffing I've been doing out on the porch. A couple of weeks ago, I took the swing chain covers off the swing, tossed them into the hand wash basket of my ancient GE washing machine, poured in a smidgen of bleach and gave … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With:



A Chandelier for the Master Bedroom

April 12, 2010 by 131 Comments

Welcome to the 65th Metamorphosis Monday! A few weeks ago, I shared this pic of the fixture that has been hanging above my bed for the past 20 years...to my dismay. This was one sad ceiling fan. It was made of some really awful fake wood, so shortly after we moved in, I painted it hoping I could make it "go away." Didn't work, I could still see it.   Well, it only took me 20 years but I have … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, My Nest Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Make a Greenhouse from Old Windows for Holiday Displays

April 10, 2010 by 75 Comments

Remember back around Christmas time when I took you shopping at the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta, Georgia? C'mon...sure you do. Remember, you kept begging on the drive over to stop by the Dairy Queen to get a milkshake and I told you that we had to hurry and get to the Queen of Hearts before all the good stuff was gone. Ahhh, now you remember! Well, while we were there, we saw this: Yep, it's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Easter Crafts, Easter Decorating, Easter Holiday Home, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



A Little Addition to a Dormer Nook

March 15, 2010 by 83 Comments

Welcome to the 61st Metamorphosis Monday! Last week I shared a metamorphosis in my guest room. It went from this... ...to this, with the addition of a secretary between the windows. Recently, I made another small change (Mini-Met) that I'm sharing for this Met Monday. I had two little blue bird watercolor pictures hanging underneath the wall shelf on the right wall in that room (look at the pic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , , ,



Guest Room Addition

March 7, 2010 by 103 Comments

Welcome to the 60th Metamorphosis Monday! My metamorphosis this week is in my Guest room. Here's the way it normally looks.  Sorry about the dark photo...my photography skills were pretty sad back then.  The walls are NOT this yellow, either.   Do you see the change?   On our recent shopping trip to A Classy Flea, I saw this painted secretary. It was priced at $329...very … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Guest Room), Before & After, Blue & White Design & Decor, My Nest



Renovating on a Miniature Scale

March 1, 2010 by 98 Comments

Welcome to the 59th Metamorphosis Monday! Metamorphosis Monday: I know you're going to be shocked, but I've been thinking about moving. Yes, you read that right.  Your eyes have not deceived you. You see, I found this old house and you know how I love old homes. It's a great house, just a bit smaller than my current home. Problem is, it's a real fixer-upper. we're talking fodder for Met Monday posts … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Holiday Home, Home Tours, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , ,



A New Cover for a Footstool

February 8, 2010 by 72 Comments

Welcome to the 56th Metamorphosis Monday! It's a few weeks before Christmas, a nice afternoon and you are out running a few errands...just doing a little shopping. On the way home, you decide to take a little peek in the window of a local thrift shop. Oh, what's this...a sweatshirt with a wonderful hand made, cross-stitched design. And it's only $4...way too cute to leave behind! Ummm, now what will … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating



Dish & Flatware Storage

January 25, 2010 by 84 Comments

Welcome to the 54th Metamorphosis Monday! For this week's Met Monday, I'm sharing a small but fun little metamorphosis in my china closet. You may remember when I posted a while back about the little redo of this space...it was really being poorly utilized. It was being used to store deck cushions that were rarely used. After a little renovation, (you may read about HERE) it looked like … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, My Nest Tagged With:



Decorate for a Traditional Christmas

December 21, 2009 by 82 Comments

Welcome to the 49th Metamorphosis Monday! Today is the last Metamorphosis Monday before Christmas...so I thought I'd share a few pics of the metamorphosis my home goes through each year around this time. I love wreaths...can you tell? I tend to decorate very traditionally...just love the Christmas reds, greens, and golds. (Warning: This post is picture intensive.) Hope you enjoy! This pic was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Home Tours, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Make a Greenhouse from Old Discarded Windows

November 30, 2009 by 89 Comments

Welcome to the 46th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I've been out of state visiting my son and his sweetie. It was a whirlwind trip and so much fun. My son gave me a tour of the law school he's attending, as well as a tour of the wonderful historic building where he works with a local firm. We did a little shopping on Black Friday and went to see A Christmas Carol on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, DIY, DIY Crafts & Sewing, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



Decorating for Autumn and a Thanksgiving Tablescape

November 23, 2009 by 68 Comments

Welcome to the 45th Metamorphosis Monday!   For this weeks Met Monday, we're going to Bonnie's beautiful home to see how she has transformed her hutch in her breakfast room. When we last saw it around the end of October, it was all decked out for Halloween. Remember this amazing pic? Well, honey, that was so, three weeks ago! Feast your eyes now! Wow...quite a transformation from Halloween...love … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fall Tablescapes, Seasonal Decor, Seasonal Tablescapes, Tablescapes Holiday Tablescapes, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, Thanksgiving Table Settings, Thanksgiving Tablescapes, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , ,



Patina on Sterling Flatware

November 9, 2009 by 69 Comments

Welcome to the 43rd Metamorphosis Monday! My Met Monday post this week is a little different...it's about a "Before and After" that can't really be created, but is instead best achieved with the passage of time. There are some ways to speed it up a bit, because the "After" is very desirable, but, you pretty much have to just be patient and go about the everyday business of living your life.  I'm talking … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With: , , ,



Building and Designing a Craft Room

November 2, 2009 by 350 Comments

Welcome to the 42nd Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I'm taking you back to Bonnie's house! Recently, Bonnie generously gave us a tour of her gorgeous kitchen and her amazing dish room. Well, hold on to your hats because Bonnie has a Craft Room, too! Yep..a fabulous creative space that you are going to love every bit as much as you loved her Dish Room! Bonnie, that does it...we are ALL moving … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Crafts & Sewing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,



Build a Mantel

October 25, 2009 by 86 Comments

Welcome to the 41st Metamorphosis Monday! What would you do if you didn't like your mantel...just felt it was too plain and not large enough? Well, that's how Pinky and Joe felt about their mantel. Originally, the fireplace didn't have a mantel at all, so Joe added a very simple shelf to create a mantel that Pinky could decorate at Christmas time. Recently, they decided it was time to give it more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating Tagged With: , ,



Dish Heaven!

October 23, 2009 by 184 Comments

If you are a regular follower of BNOTP, you've seen some beautiful tablescapes I've posted recently that were created by Bonnie, a talented and creative reader of BNOTP. Bonnie and I have become fast friends as we've shared our love for tablescaping and all things, dishes.  Today we are going on a field trip!  Bonnie has generously agreed to let us see where she keeps all her wonderful dishes. Ok, hold … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage Tagged With: ,



A Kitchen Renovation

October 19, 2009 by 113 Comments

Welcome to the 40th Metamorphosis Monday! A couple of weeks ago, you saw the pic below when I posted Bonnie's beautiful fall tablescape for a Tablescape Thursday. Well, I couldn't keep my eyes off her gorgeous kitchen just visible through those pretty arched doors. So, I asked Bonnie if she'd give us a tour of her kitchen...and...Yipee...she said, yes! Of course, if you are a FAN of BNOTP on Facebook, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With: ,



Decorating the Porch for Halloween

October 11, 2009 by 82 Comments

Welcome to the 39th Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I thought I'd share the transformation my front porch goes through each year around Halloween. Normally it looks something like this...   But, then.................... On a dark and shadowy All Hallows Eve, a ghost, a witch, and a goblin cast long, dark shadows as they glide past the open flame of a lit gas lantern. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, Porches, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , ,



Create Your Own Plant Stand

October 4, 2009 by 74 Comments

Welcome to the 38th Metamorphosis Monday! I have a little query for you. What would you do if one day at your workplace, you discovered the items shown below were being tossed out...thrown into the trash? I know some of you are so creative and talented, you'd probably snag them and take them home. Me? I would have probably looked at them, thought they were interesting, but wouldn't have had a clue … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, Halloween Crafts, Halloween Holiday Home, The Holiday Home Tagged With: ,



Decorating English Country Style

September 20, 2009 by 101 Comments

Welcome to the 36th Metamorphosis Monday! To start this Met Monday off, I just want to say thank-you to everyone who left a comment yesterday. And, thanks so much for all the fabulous suggestions on how to fix my poor champagne bucket. I can't wait to try some of your suggestions...keep your fingers crossed! When I was looking for furniture for my family room many years ago, I just bought what I liked … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Baths, Before & After, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , , ,



An Amazing Dorm Room

September 16, 2009 by 29 Comments

Think all dorm rooms are the same? Not if your Maximilian Sinsteden’s, age 21, and attending Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. If my Dad had allowed me to live on campus (which he didn't) THIS is the dorm room I would have wanted...well, minus the neck ties. Drew Campus in Madison, New Jersey, is a beautiful campus if this pic is any indication. After Max's first year of college he … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With: , ,



Updates to My China Closet

September 13, 2009 by 84 Comments

Welcome to the 35th Metamorphosis Monday! Where in the world do you store all that china? I get that question a lot.  Since several folks have left comments or e-mailed recently asking about china storage, I'm pulling out an oldie but goodie post for this Met Monday. I'm also including a few more recent photos showing some of the changes I've made. And, I'm including a link to a post from December … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, My Nest Tagged With: , , ,



Built-in Book Shelves for the Upstairs Family Room

August 17, 2009 by 216 Comments

Welcome to the 31st Metamorphosis Monday! My Met Monday post is a little different this week. The "After" hasn't occurred yet, but I thought I'd share my "Before" and my "After Wish" with you, just in case it gives you some ideas for a similar area in your home. This is the view as you enter from the hallway into my Upstairs Family Room. (To see more of this room, click here:  Upstairs Family Room.) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , , , ,



Creating a Planter from a Chair

August 3, 2009 by 75 Comments

Welcome to the 29th Metamorphosis Monday! I don't have a before pic of this chair I found recently at A Classy Flea, but I was told the seat was in very bad condition and was not salvageable. So...what to do? Turn it into a lovely planter! The seller at A Classy Flea, attached a square wire planter container to the chair. I'm sorry, but I've forgotten where she said she found the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature Tagged With: , , , ,



Design a Room You Love

July 20, 2009 by 86 Comments

Welcome to the 27th Metamorphosis Monday! My Metamorphosis Monday post is a little different this week. I don't have an exciting metamorphosis to share; instead, I thought I'd share some ideas or tips I've learned decorating my own home over these many years. These "lessons learned" are responsible for the changes that were made to the rooms in my home, so in some ways this post is indeed all about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, Living Room (Downstairs) Tagged With: , , , , ,



How to Make a Lamp from a Treasured Collectible

June 29, 2009 by 65 Comments

Welcome to the 24th Metamorphosis Monday!  You may remember the Metamorphosis Monday post several months ago where I posted about a sweet doggie I found while out antiquing. When I found him, I thought he would be the perfect size for something I had in mind.   I had the idea of having him made  into a lamp. I'd been shopping for a small lamp to go on this table in my family room for some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decorating Tagged With: , ,



Four-Season Porch: Sunroom and Screened-in Porch

June 21, 2009 by 86 Comments

Welcome to the 23rd Metamorphosis Monday! One of the best parts about blogging, if not the best part, is making new friends. Sometimes, after several weeks or months of chatting via e-mail, we actually get to meet face to face. Other times, we just meet heart to heart. Selena is one such friend...though, we've never met in person, our hearts have surely met. That's because we both share a tremendous … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Porches Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



Living Room Makeover

May 18, 2009 by 83 Comments

Welcome to  The 18th Metamorphosis Monday! I have a wonderful Before and After to share with you this week.  A while back I shared several pics of this beautiful dining room belonging to Brian, a wonderfully talented Interior Designer, whose design business is Brian Joseph Atmospheres. Recently, Brian completed a new design project where he dramatically transformed several rooms in an historic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With: , ,



Old Bound Newspapers Become End Table

May 11, 2009 by 84 Comments

Welcome to the 17th Metamorphosis Monday! Many, many years ago, The Macon Telegraph and News decided to dispose of all the old copies of their past publications/newspapers. Apparently, news organizations used to keep copies of their old papers by binding them into large "books." Each bound volume, shown below, had about three months worth of newspapers. I had six of these large books stored for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating, Home Tours, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: ,



Deck Transformation, Winter to Spring

May 5, 2009 by 70 Comments

Since most everyone who visits Between Naps on the Porch has seen my two porches, I thought I'd share a different area today. There are decks off either side of my screened-in porch and one of those decks has a cozy little corner over near the grill. It's the perfect spot to sit if you want to be near the grill while you are cooking out. This is the winter view...pretty blah. And here's the summer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With:



Humble Beginnings in Married Student Housing: Our First Home

May 4, 2009 by 118 Comments

Welcome to the 16th Metamorphosis Monday! For this Metamorphosis Monday, I'm sharing "Before" pics that are really, really old. These are the "before-est" pics I will EVER be able to show you for a Met Monday! It was 1978, I was 21 years old, my husband, 23, and we were newlyweds having just married a few weeks before. We were living in "married student housing" on the campus where we were attending … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating, Inspire, My Nest, Previous Nests



Bonus Room Makeover: From Bonus Room to Family Room and Spill Over Space for Guests

April 20, 2009 by 63 Comments

Welcome to the 14th Metamorphosis Monday! Update: Sorry about the darkness of some of the photos in this post. I plead ignorance since these were taken during my early blogging days before I learned to take better photos. :) For this Metamorphosis Monday, we're going for another ride in the time machine, back again to 1991, just before we actually purchased and moved into our house. This time our time … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , ,



A Kitchen Renovation

April 13, 2009 by 90 Comments

Welcome to the the 13th Metamorphosis Monday! Time for another Metamorphosis Monday! I can't wait to see all the Before and Afters posted for this Met Monday...you'll find all the links at the end of this post. Hold on tight...we're going for another ride this week in my time machine. Did you take your Dramamine...you know this thing goes pretty fast. I'm setting the dial for 1991...destination: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, My Nest Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



Building a Dish Closet

April 6, 2009 by 130 Comments

Welcome to the 12th Metamorphosis Monday...where it's all about "Before and Afters." I decided this weekend to tackle a project I've been putting off...the redo of a 35" x 24" coat closet in my kitchen/breakfast room. The previous owner of my home had a shell niche installed in the foyer/entry (Click to visit entry), where others houses in my neighborhood frequently have a coat closet. Then they took a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, My Nest



Make a Lamp from Something You Love

March 30, 2009 by 77 Comments

Welcome to the 11th Metamorphosis Monday! Several years ago I was out antiquing and I came across this cute doggie. Ummm, the wheels started turning, and I thought he just might be the perfect size to... ...have made into a lamp. I'd been shopping for a small lamp to go on this table in my family room for some time. The room had/has a bit of a hunt/canine theme going on, so this little guy fit … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decorating, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , ,



Renovation of the Entry Foyer

March 23, 2009 by 91 Comments

Welcome to the 10th Metamorphosis Monday! Ok, hold on to your seats.  We're going for another ride this week in my time machine...back once more to the year 1991. Yep, I've been at it again, playing with that ancient VHS tape that shows the interior of my home before we ever made an offer and bought it. I paused the tape, took some pics and this week I'm sharing a "before" glimpse of the Entry to my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Entry/Foyer, My Nest Tagged With: ,



A Princess and the Pea Master Bedroom

March 16, 2009 by 121 Comments

  Welcome to the 9th Metamorphosis Monday! When I first entered the foyer of this home, 18 years ago, it was pretty obvious why it had been on the market for over a year. The carpet throughout was a burnt orange color and the interior had not been painted in 8 years. On our second walk through, we videotaped many of the rooms so we could remember it as we shopped for a new house. Please bear … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, My Nest Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Front Porch Addition

March 2, 2009 by 126 Comments

Welcome to the 7th Metamorphosis Monday! For many years I carried around a page I'd torn from an old issue of Southern Homes Magazine. The page showed a picture of a front porch I really, really liked. Periodically, I pulled it out, gazed lovingly upon it, then carefully tucked it back into my "someday" notebook. "Someday" finally arrived in October 2007 and construction began on the front porch. My front … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , ,



Creating a Perennial Garden

February 23, 2009 by 113 Comments

Welcome to the 6th Metamorphosis Monday! My Metamorphosis for this Met Monday is a perennial garden I "built" many years ago.  I want to apologize in advance for the quality of these pics. They were taken many years ago, long before I'd ever heard of this thing called blogging. Plus, I had to take pictures of pictures to show you this transformation...but I think you will still be able to appreciate the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature Tagged With: , , ,



Hiding Metal Swing Chains

February 16, 2009 by 71 Comments

Welcome to the 5th Metamorphosis Monday! Of all the transformations I've ever made in my home, the one I'm about to share may be the easiest and least expensive for the largest impact or improvement. While my screened-in porch was under construction, I searched high and low online and locally for a white, outdoor wicker, swing. I finally found one I loved online at Wicker Paradise.   When it arrived, it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Duplicate Post Tagged With: , , , ,



A Kitchen Renovation

February 9, 2009 by 95 Comments

Wecome to the 4th Metamorphosis Monday! Welcome to my modest kitchen renovation.  Okay, if you have a weak stomach, you might want to look away at this point.  This was my kitchen before renovation...dark and dreary. This is the only "before" pic I have to share...but it really tells the story of what the kitchen looked like prior to renovation. You can't see it in this photo, but the genuine … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, My Nest Tagged With: , , , ,



Adding Curtains or Sheers to Your Porch

February 2, 2009 by 60 Comments

  Welcome to the 3rd Metamorphosis Monday! Not long after the screened-in porch was completed, I made a simple change that had a large impact on both the appearance and the "feel" of the porch. The total cost for this change was only around $100. Here's a pic of the porch before the change... And here's after...do you see the change? :-) Another before... And … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: ,



Painting Furniture: A China Hutch Transformation

January 26, 2009 by 103 Comments

When my screened-in porch was nearing completion, I happened across a little hutch for a great price: $95.  It was just what I had in mind for storing dishes for dining out on the porch. After getting it home, I got down to work. This was B.B. (Before Blogging) so taking pictures almost didn't happen. Somewhere in the midst of sanding the piece, it dawned on me that it might be nice to take a "before" … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating, DIY Organization and Storage, DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , , ,



Building a Screened-in Porch

January 19, 2009 by 95 Comments

Welcome to the very first Metamorphosis Monday! When I moved into my home 18 years ago, I knew one day I would want to redo my deck. The previous homeowners had never properly cared for the existing deck, and it was in a sad state. I tried cleaning it with an incredibly strong deck cleaner and "painting" it with a solid color stain for decks, but the solid stain didn't hold up well. It was time to make a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , ,



Welcome to the Porch!

January 7, 2009 by 182 Comments

Today I thought I'd share a little about the porch that is the namesake for this blog, Between Naps on the Porch.   First, take a look at the "Before" picture.  The deck shown below is what used to be, where the porch is now. It was an original deck that had been added onto by a previous homeowner. Unfortunately, the addition wasn't done properly and many more supports were used underneath than … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , ,



Metamorphosis Monday…What do you think?

January 4, 2009 by 51 Comments

Stand back, I have an idea!  Do you see the smoke coming out of my ears? Can you hear the creaking and squeaking of those rusty gears turning in my brain? lol On Friday, I posted about a minor renovation I completed recently in my dining room. I received more comments on that particular post than any other I've done so far. So, that got me thinking, we all seem to really enjoy seeing a "Before" and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After



Adding Picture Molding to the Dining Room

January 2, 2009 by 106 Comments

A couple of months ago, I decided I was tired of my dining room being painted all red, above and below the chair rail. The room isn't overly large, so all that red made the room feel even smaller. This photo below is the only pic I have of how it looked when it was painted all red. I had just decorated the room for a birthday party I was having for a good friend.   Once I made the decision to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Dining Room, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Home Tours, My Nest Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Seashell Chest

October 24, 2008 by 64 Comments

My birding vacation got in the way of shopping at the Flea for a couple of weekends...but I made a trip this week.  You won't believe what I left behind that I really wanted! I did buy two things that I'll share at the bottom of this post. This adorable chest was probably my favorite treasure this week at A Classy Flea...but alas, it was already sold. I took six pics of it though because I thought this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , ,