Christmas Home Tours & The Start Of Creating A “Theater” Room In The Basement

Welcome to the 828th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! It was a really busy one here with Christmas festivities and home tours. We lined the streets of our community with paper bag luminaries and it looked really beautiful! Unfortunately, I had a gigantic limb fall off the tree in my front yard a couple of days prior. It was out on the curb awaiting pickup—kinda bad timing … [Read more...]




New Furniture For My Study & A Most-Special Gift From Fortnum & Mason

Welcome to the 827th Metamorphosis Monday! It was a long drive back to the Dollhouse but listening to a book definitely helped pass the time. The weather was great the whole way and traffic was really good to me on this trip up. I tend to overdue a bit on these trips back to the Dollhouse, as I always squeeze in as much as humanly possible into my SUV, so the loading and unloading is quite the workout. I … [Read more...]




Creating A Cozy Seating Area For The Office, How Do You Like The Chair(s) I Chose?

The last time we checked out the office was a few weeks ago when the plantation shutters were added to this room. Around that same time, or maybe it was a few days after, I stumbled across a chair I really liked while shopping for something else on the Home Depot website. I didn't realize HD had branched out into offering furniture on their site. It reminds me of the days when the Home Depot Expos were … [Read more...]




The Plantation Shutters Are Finally Here! Do They Look The Way You Expected?

Welcome to the 820th Metamorphosis Monday! Oh my gosh, I have so much I want to tell you about the trip up to Ohio but I will save that for a future post because it was quite the adventure. Ha! Everything went really well until I hit the Cincinnati area. They had completely shut down all of I-75 North for the weekend to do road work. When I first left early that morning, Waze said something implying I-75 … [Read more...]




Finally Tracked Them Down & They Are Just What I Needed For My Kitchen

A little over a year ago, my son and daughter-in-law completed a full renovation of the kitchen in their charming, 100-year-old home. The renovation turned out beautifully! If you would like to see the 1970s version of their kitchen before its renovation, plus all the changes that were made, you'll find that link at the end of this post. One of the updates that took place during their renovation was the … [Read more...]




6 Major Purchases That Could Not Wait: What I Purchased & Why

When I bought a second home a few months back, I wasn't sure how long it would be before I moved there full-time. So I had some tough decisions to make about what to purchase for the home right away, and which things could wait. After thinking it over, I did what I always do when I'm in an unfamiliar situation and not exactly sure where to start—I started with the "knowns." In my mind, there were two … [Read more...]




What Is The Name of That Blue Paint In The Bedroom, Bathroom & Your Office?

Ever since I shared a tour of the upstairs part of the Dollhouse in THIS previous post, I've had several comments and emails asking if I know the brand/name of the blue paint that was used for the Master Bedroom, Master Bath, and the FROG (Finished Room Over the Garage) that I'm using as my office. Recently, I came across several paint cans in the Dollhouse basement, and as I cleaned those off before moving … [Read more...]




Great Storage Solution For The Home Office Closet Or, Really, Any Closet

Remember this room? ;) Right now, this room almost seems like it's from another lifetime. I love this office, it's very different from the one I'm gradually putting together in the Dollhouse.   This is probably a good time to explain a little better how I'm kind of envisioning this room looking if/when I finally move to the Dollhouse permanently. The Pottery Barn Bedford file cabinets/storage … [Read more...]




Larger Rug For The Office, Dented Refrigerators, & A Great Dish Soap Dispensing Brush

So, how's the 9' x 12' rug look here in the office? It arrived yesterday, a day earlier than projected, and my oldest grandson helped me get it into the room. It arrived folded in a big, rectangular package. We were a team cartwheeling it up the 7 stairs to the office, moving it into place, and getting it up underneath the desk. In the photo below, you can see how the 8 x 10 rug looked that I shared a few … [Read more...]




So Many Updates For The Dollhouse, & More To Come!

Welcome to the 808th Metamorphosis Monday! Whenever I'm here at the Dollhouse, I always feel a lot of pressure to get stuff done, and get it done right now! That's because my time is always limited since I have projects going on back in Georgia, too. The minute I pull into the driveway, I'm on the go. I usually have appointments set up with repairmen or tradesmen starting the very next day, so there's no … [Read more...]




The “Necessary Room” & How I Plan To Hide The TP

In my home in Georgia, the main-level, half/guest bath is outfitted with a nice-sized vanity. The cabinet is so large, in addition to toilet paper, I use it to store the paper towels that I use in the kitchen that's just a few feet away.   The half bath in the Dollhouse in Ohio is a very different story! That bathroom is quite small and has a pedestal sink, so there's no place to hide away … [Read more...]




Hope This Tip Will Save You A $149 Electrician Visit—Still Can’t Believe It Worked!

Thanks so much for your helpful comments and suggestions yesterday. I am much, much better today and feeling right back to normal, thank goodness! No more wall paper stripping without a mask on! So, I have to share this crazy "lighting" thing I just discovered in case you ever run into this issue. Hopefully, it will save you from having to call an electrician and pay a troubleshooting fee, as I just had … [Read more...]




Covering Edges Of Melamine Shelves & What Happened To My Fave Wallpaper Remover

Welcome to the 797th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! I've been working on a few bathroom projects this weekend. One of the tasks I worked on involved the shelves in the closets of both upstairs baths. When this house was built many years ago, I'm not sure why, but the closets were built with wood boards inside for shelves. I think they were 1 x 12s or something like that. There are … [Read more...]




Throwing Fisticuffs–It’s That Time Of Year When I Duke It Out With The Mattress! Ha!

Welcome to the 773rd Metamorphosis Monday! Or, maybe it's more like a wrestling match! It was past time--normally I swap out my summer bedding for my winter bedding around the first week of October. I think I'm late this year because it really hasn't felt that fallish. We've been having some wonderfully warm days. The leaves have really started falling now, though--so it was time, past time! My biannual … [Read more...]




Easy Solution For “Fixing” & Hiding Beige Outlets In A Room With White Trim

Welcome to the 749th Metamorphosis Monday! Last year I had the "almost finished" side of the basement painted. The walls were painted in Benjamin Moore White Dove and the trim was painted in Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. Chantilly Lace is a bright white with an LRV of 92.2.   Though this basement is a daylight basement with 5 good-size windows and two French doors, I wanted to keep the room … [Read more...]




Some Fun Ideas for Summer: Crafts and Decor Ideas

Recently someone asked in the comments about this 3-tiered planter pictured here on the potting bench that I painted in the color, Dahlia. It made me realize that I really should occasionally link back to some of the hundreds of posts I've written over the past 15 years because many are still relevant. This post took me forever to put together this morning because I found myself rereading them all again and … [Read more...]




Have You Ever Been Inspired By The Decor You Saw In A Great Movie House?

Not sure what got me thinking about this, but a few days ago I was thinking again about how much I loved the home in the movie, Home Alone, and how it had made such an impression on me when I first began buying furniture and decorating my own home. That sent me down another rabbit trail wondering what else have I done in my home that was the direct influence of something I had noticed in a movie … [Read more...]




When Is It A Collection, Or Is It Just Hoarding? ;)

Do you remember when your interest in decorating first began? I have the worst memory in general, especially when it comes to dates, but I definitely remember what kicked off my borderline obsession with home decor. My love for decorating really took off when I discovered two magazines: Colonial Homes and Traditional Home. I could hardly wait for each issue to arrive in my mailbox! I poured over those … [Read more...]




Lots of Fun Updates from Decorating to Organizing to Filling Up a New Freezer

Welcome to the 722nd Metamorphosis Monday! Have you started or completed your holiday decorating? I got my wreaths up a few days before Thanksgiving, but that's about as far as I've gotten. If you would like more info about how I hang my wreaths each year, you'll find a post where I share the details here: How to Hang Wreaths on Exterior Windows.     So, it took me a while but I … [Read more...]




Fortnum & Mason Hamper As a Side Table, Great Place to Hide Throws & Pillows

Welcome to the 711th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a fabulous start! A week or so ago I shared the arrival of a Fortnum and Mason Hamper I had purchased, along with the goodies that I chose to go inside. I ended up creating my own bespoke hamper to get the size hamper and the contents I really wanted.   When I first placed my order for one of their hampers, I … [Read more...]




A New Addition for the Office & How I Track Down Studs

Back around 2010 when I put my home office together and purchased an office desk chair, one of my top priorities in choosing a chair was its appearance. Of course, I wanted it to be comfortable and great for day-to-day use, but I also wanted it to be pretty and to work with my home office interior. Over the years and many desk chairs later, I have pretty much given up on worrying about how it looks and if … [Read more...]




A Super Stressful Friday (Self-Inflicted) and Choosing a Wall Color for the Garage

Wow! Yesterday was a day and a half around here! I had a mini disaster occur. I was trying to do too many things at once (a bad habit of mine) and while calling a local tire place to schedule having my tires rotated, I managed to spill a lot of water onto my keyboard. While trying to wipe off (and shake out) the water from the keyboard, I didn't notice a small amount had also splashed up onto one of my … [Read more...]




Will the Green Drapes and The Governor’s Party Painting Still Work for Summer?

Welcome to the 693rd Metamorphosis Monday! Last year I got a bug in my bustle and decided to finally add some art to the wall behind my bed.   Adding this beautiful Chuck Pinson Giclee made such a dramatic difference to the room, I decided to keep going and finally added some beautiful "worn velvet" drapes to the windows. They aren't heavy-looking in person, as velvet drapes could … [Read more...]




Pretty Ways to Store & Display Your Favorite Dish Patterns

Welcome to the 703rd Tablescape Thursday! (Update: If you were interested in the Burberry Bag I shared that sold out so quickly on Tuesday, it's back in stock. I've added a link to it at the end of this post.) Happy St. Patrick's Day! Do you have anything special planned for today? I was thinking of setting a St. Patrick's Day table to share, but since I just did that last week, I thought it would be … [Read more...]




Art for the Upstairs Hallway: The Beach Girls by Hilarie Lambert

Welcome to the 684th Metamorphosis Monday! A few years back I added a little blue chest to this corner of my upstairs living room.   This room has a beachy/nautical feel because of how it's decorated with lighthouse prints and shells collected while vacationing in Captiva, Sanibel, and Hilton Head Island many years ago. Though I loved the chest here, I eventually moved it to the hallway … [Read more...]




IKEA Hemnes Bookcase Review & Sharing Its One Design Flaw

Welcome to the 677th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had an awesome weekend! We had a mini-snow storm on Sunday. It was short-lived but pretty while it was coming down. Did you see any snow in your area over the weekend?   In a previous post a few months back, I mentioned the bowing issue I was having with the Ikea Billy bookshelves in my home office. Two lovely BNOTP readers suggested I look … [Read more...]




A Small Upgrade That Functions Better & Looks More Professional

I made a very small change recently here in the upstairs family room and thought I'd share it in case you have a need for something similar. A while back I shared a new lamp I had just purchased for this room.   You can see the new lamp there on the left atop the old, book-bound Macon Telegraph newspapers my sister, Glenda, gave me many, many years ago. To read more about the new lamp and how … [Read more...]




Repurpose Your Old Record Albums Into Unique, Exciting Wall Art!

When I visited with my friend, Teresa recently, this was the bedroom where I stayed. I was absolutely enthralled with how she had decorated above and around the bed!   Instead of tossing out or donating her old record albums from yesteryear, she turned them into exciting wall art!   Do you still have all your old albums from days past?   I love this idea so much! … [Read more...]




I Think I Finally Found the Perfect Frame, What Do You Think?

Last November, now a full year ago, I was hot on the pursuit of a frame for this beautiful Chuck Pinson painting named, The Governor's Party. The painting depicts the Governor's Palace just as guests are arriving for a Christmas party. I remember touring the Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg many years ago. It was a wonderful experience and I would love to visit again and see it dressed this way … [Read more...]




Finally Sharing All Those Photos, Ideas and Tips That I’ve Been Saving

Welcome to the 663rd Metamorphosis Monday! Throughout the year, I'm always taking photos of things that I want to share with you that I think you'll enjoy. I've been going through photos this morning, and I thought it would be fun to share an assortment of random pictures and ideas for this week's Met Monday, especially since one of two of these are Before/After ideas. Hope you enjoy! During one of my … [Read more...]




Another New Lamp for the Upstairs Living Room

Welcome to the 659th Metamorphosis Monday! Looking at this older photo of the upstairs living room/bonus room/frog makes me want to move the grandfather clock back to this room. I may do that today, I miss seeing it here. But that's not why we're in this room today. Notice the large brass lamp at the end of the sofa.   Here's one more photo taken from the opposite end where you can see the … [Read more...]




Musical Lamps

Welcome to the 657th Metamorphosis Monday! Did you ever play the game, Musical Chairs, when you were little? Well, it's been like musical lamps around here lately. lol I may end up with one odd lamp out in the end, not sure at this point. Last week I shared a new lamp I had purchased to use in my home office. It turned out to be much larger than I had expected so not a good fit for the office. Lesson … [Read more...]




Going Waaay Outside My Comfort Zone

So I did something a little crazy today. See that white shelf on the right wall of the guest room? I ordered a new picture for that spot.   I also moved the trunk out of this room that had gotten shoved over onto that wall when I added cabinets down the opposite wall. I moved my vintage dress form from the office back to that spot, although it's not visible in this photo except for a small … [Read more...]




2 Beautiful, New Lamps–Unique in Color and Size, Crazy About Both!

Welcome to the 656th Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all your input on Friday's post! Appreciate all of your suggestions so much! After three weeks in Ohio, I'm back home now. The weekend was spent unpacking, going through mail, washing clothes, and all the catch-up stuff that usually needs to be done after a few weeks away from home. The two lamps I ordered prior to my trip arrived and I'm … [Read more...]




When I Move One Day, These Are Going With Me

Many years ago when I used to go out antiquing almost every weekend, I ran into a good friend in a local antique shop. I was so surprised to see someone I knew in this large, but kinda off-the-beaten-path shop. She was headed out the door with a big brass chandelier in her hands. I complimented her on her awesome find, it was a beautiful chandelier! As she made her way toward the door, she shared that … [Read more...]




Is it Time to Ditch Those Floral Valances in the Guest Room?

In some of my recent posts, we've been playing here in the guest room a lot. In one post I shared a new lamp I had purchased for this room. (See that post here: New Lamp for the Guest Room.)   A week or two later, I added some Ikea Oxberg cabinets down one wall as a fun, attractive way to corral all my handbags into one area. The guest room is so rarely used since family prefers the larger … [Read more...]




Lorelei’s Beautiful Laundry Room Makeover

Welcome to the 653rd Metamorphosis Monday! Last year, just before Christmas I shared some wonderful updates Lorelei made in her home shortly after moving in. Lorelei transformed the entry and her dining room with all new paint and the result was beautiful! If you missed that previous post, you'll find it here: The Magic of Paint: Lorelei's Dining Room and Entry Transformed.   Recently, … [Read more...]




Do You Ever Move the Furniture Around in Your Home?

Do you ever move furniture around? I was texting with a friend recently who was moving furniture into different places in her home and she asked me that question. I replied back that I rarely ever did because in most of the rooms in my home, the furniture really only fits in the room one way. I have to eat those words because I ended up doing exactly that, moving some things around. One minor change made … [Read more...]




The Most Beautiful Vignette–So Much Inspiration!

I love, love, love when I get an email from a lovely BNOTP reader letting me know that something I have suggested has worked well in their home, too! That makes me so happy! Recently, after sharing my spring porch makeover where I mentioned how much I was loving these realistic-looking, faux tulips, I received an email from Sam.   Sam said, "Once again your recommendation was spot on! … [Read more...]




A Salvaged Mirror Becomes a Memory-Filled Travel Bulletin Board

Welcome to the 634th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! A few days ago I was chatting in the comments with Cyndi, a lovely BNOTP reader, and now friend, about how much we were looking forward to traveling again in the future. Cyndi mentioned she was so looking forward to it, she had created a “travel bulletin board for posting snapshots of former vacations to remember … [Read more...]




Toni’s Elegant & Practical Solution to Upgrade Her Desk Space and Closet Storage

Last year, while I was staying with family and helping with my grandsons for a couple of months, you may remember that I purchased a desk to work at while I was there. I actually purchased a couple of desks during that time. The first one turned out to be a bit too shallow for my needs so I ended up purchasing a second one. My daughter-in-law and l were both desk shopping around the same time and I sent … [Read more...]




Two Beautiful Transformations, All Through the Magic of Paint

Welcome to the 623rd Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! A few weeks back I shared how Lorelei transformed her dining room with paint. Lorelei liked the color I used in my dining room, Benjamin Moore, Raspberry Truffle and decided to use the same color in her dining room.   Beautiful transformation!   Here's a picture showing Raspberry … [Read more...]




Sometimes Small Changes Can Make Your Heart Happy

A few weeks ago I shared a little addition to my office space. If you look closely, you can just see it there to the side of my left monitor.   I'm not sure how, but I came across this clear tissue holder online and loved it. I liked how modern it looked, which is surprising since I normally don't care for modern decor pieces. I liked that it didn't fight the other patterns/colors in the … [Read more...]




It’s Been a Whirlwind Month: Lots of Cleaning, Painting and the Doors Arrived!

Welcome to the 612th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you probably know I spent much of summer and the start of the school year helping with my grandchildren in Ohio. School is still just 3 hours a day there so it definitely makes it challenging for working Moms and Dads. Once I returned back home, it was full steam ahead! I … [Read more...]




Two Storage Upgrades, One…Adorable, Both Very Practical!

Happy Wednesday! Hope your week is going great! I have a couple of small tweaks to share today. One I knew I would love because I just made the same upgrade at home a few months back, but the other one was a delightful surprise! I'm obsessed with how both turned out! You may remember a few months ago I upgraded the old flatware storage organizer I had been using for years to this clear expandable one … [Read more...]




Two Before & Afters: One a Success, One a Fail–at Least for Now

Welcome to the 605th Metamorphosis Monday! My son and daughter-in-love purchased all new furniture for their living room a few months back. Now that the boys are a bit older, it was a great time to make some upgrades/changes. They purchased beautiful leather sofas, new end tables, new lamps, and donated a few things that no longer worked in the room. Two of the items they donated were a couple of old … [Read more...]




Carpet Treads For a Beautiful and Safer Staircase

Welcome to the 604th Metamorphosis Monday! Want to know when a new post goes up at Between Naps On The Porch? Subscribe here for free updates: Subscribe for Updates. A few months, back my daughter-in-love, Nancy, added a touch of pretty carpet to each of the treads of the main stairway in their 1920s cottage home.   In addition to being a pretty accent for the staircase, the carpet made … [Read more...]




Butterflies for the Wall & The 2 Screened-Door Designs I Chose for the Porch

Welcome to the 602nd Metamorphosis Monday! My daughter-in-law, Nancy, recently added these adorable butterflies to a wall in the downstairs hallway of their home. She liked them so much, she decided to order two more packages. So there will be a lot more butterflies joining these real soon.   They are subtle against this pale yellow wall and sooo pretty! I love how she arranged them, feels … [Read more...]




Starry Starry Night, Turn Your Bedroom Into a Starry Haven for Sleeping

Welcome to the 599th Metamorphosis Monday! Have you ever ordered something and when it arrived it exceeded your expectations? That doesn't happen very often, does it? I've been wanting to create a starry sky effect on my bedroom ceiling but my first attempt didn't work out so great.   At first, I ordered one of those machines you see online that projects stars onto the ceiling. I should … [Read more...]




Create a Beautiful, Arched, Balloon Garland for Birthdays & Other Special Occasions

During the first part of June, it's Birthday Central here at my son's home. My son's birthday is immediately followed by my youngest grandson's birthday, which is followed a few days later by my daughter-in-law, Nancy's, birthday. So there was a lot of decorating, partying and cake-eating happening over the past week or so! For my youngest grandson's 4th birthday celebration, Nancy decorated in a … [Read more...]




Stunning Room Renovation: Perfect Display Space for Beautiful Transferware

Welcome to the 587th Metamorphosis Monday! Good Morning! Hope you are staying well and enjoying some beautiful weather in your area. We've been taking a lot of walks, I think it does us all so much good to get out of the house, especially now that spring has arrived in our area. Last Monday, I shared Phyllis's amazing Before and After of the armoire below. She and her hubby, Jerry, have some serious … [Read more...]




Loved This Lamp So Much, I Bought It Twice!

If you've been reading Between Naps On The Porch for a while, you know I'm a crazy lamp lady. I don't remember when my love of lamps started, but at some point many years ago, I discovered how much prettier, cozier and better the rooms in my home looked by lamplight--the more lamplight, the better! Overhead lighting can make a beautiful room feel cold and sterile--pretty much the opposite of cozy. For … [Read more...]




Amazing Transformation: Beat-up Wardrobe Becomes a Beautiful Storage Armoire!

Welcome to the 586th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I was chatting via email with Phyllis who blogs at The Relevant Tea Leaf. She shared pictures of an amazing transformation she and her hubby, Jerry, completed. Phyllis and Jerry, were given this old cedar armoire that was in pretty rough shape. Phyllis had plans for how she wanted to use the armoire, but the original opening was too narrow for … [Read more...]




A Blue Painted Chest for a Beach-Themed Upstairs Family Room

Welcome to the 554th Metamorphosis Monday! I'm not sure why, but every time I order any kind of furniture from Amazon, my local UPS always delivers it busted up and damaged. Remember the multiple ordering attempts I made when trying to get cabinets for my garage? I ended up ordering them via Walmart and had them delivered to my local Walmart Market where I picked each cabinet up in my SUV and … [Read more...]




An Absolutely Ducky Idea for Shelving in a Bathroom or Linen Closet

Welcome to the 553rd Metamorphosis Monday! How about a little silly fun for your Labor Day? Happy Labor Day to you, btw. I hope you are resting somewhere with your feet propped up, fruity drink in hand. Those are my plans for this afternoon! :) First off I have to state, this is NOT where I store my linens. I put this bit of fun together last night just so I could share a hilarious, adorable idea that … [Read more...]




What If Gray Lamps…and Finally, The “Personalized” Pillow Shams Are Here

A few days ago I shared a Before/After my daughter-in-law and I completed in my grandsons' bedroom. (View that post here: Bedroom Makeover: Dinosaur Themed Bedroom for Two Dinosaur-Loving Boys.)   The week before this bedroom makeover, I stopped by my local At Home store and picked up some lamps I hoped would work with the bedding and the chest we planned to use.   The night … [Read more...]




Bedroom Makeover: Dinosaur Themed Bedroom for Two Dinosaur-Loving Boys

Welcome to the 549th Metamorphosis Monday! In a previous post, I shared some plans my daughter-in-law, Nancy, and I've been working on for the bedroom belonging to my two grandsons. The boys, ages 3 and 5, were ready to graduate from their convertible crib/toddler beds to big-boy beds. I had saved my son's childhood bedroom furniture all these years, so I loaded the two beds into my SUV and headed … [Read more...]




Designing a Bedroom for Two Dinosaur-Loving Boys

Welcome to the 548th Metamorphosis Monday! If you've been following BNOTP for a while, you may remember when I turned my son's old bedroom into my home office. This collage below shows the various parts of the room prior to taking the beds apart and moving everything out of the room. (See how the office turned out in this previous post: Designing and Creating a Home Office.) My son was in … [Read more...]




A Beautiful Way to Hang Pictures for a Balanced, Attractive Grouping

Welcome to the 547th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope you are experiencing a wonderful start to the new week. Since I'm currently in England on holiday and not actively working on a "Before and After" project, I thought I'd share a striking feature in the room where I'm currently staying. There's a rather long entry hallway just inside the door of my room here at The Duchess of Cornwall Inn in … [Read more...]




Cozying Up The Office with Dept. 56 Lit Houses and a Few New Bookcase Additions

Welcome to the 503rd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! For this week's Met Monday, I thought I'd give you a quick update on what I've been up to with the bookcases here in the office. There have been a couple of additions but also quite a few subtractions.   Can you tell I've reduced my collection a bit? I took a huge stack (probably a shelf's worth) to Goodwill this … [Read more...]




A Fun Lighting Update for My Home Office

Welcome to the 502nd Metamorphosis Monday! Happy weekend to you! I hope you're having an awesome one! I know it's not Monday yet, but I have an appointment on Monday so I thought I would go ahead and put this post up now. Before we dive into a mini-project I'm working on in my office, if you're a Talbots credit card holder, Talbots is having a big sale right now sitewide. (I got this yesterday, so … [Read more...]




The Perfect Spot for Leaf Peeping & A Creative Way to Repurpose Vintage Crab Pots

Welcome to the 501st Metamorphosis Monday! Did you have a great weekend? Hopefully, you have today off and are enjoying a long, 3-day weekend. I usually post during the weekend, but this weekend I gave myself the full weekend off and worked on some things here inside the house...mostly just a lot of organizing and cleaning. I guess that's not exactly taking the weekend off, now that I think about it. … [Read more...]




Living the Life of Reilly and A Luxurious Gift Idea

Recently in a post, I shared some fun ideas for hanging art or small paintings down low where they can be appreciated while sitting nearby. (See that post here: Hang a Little Painting Where It Will Surprise and Delight.) Cindy left this comment on that post. A friend’s cat has his own art gallery at his level. Every visit, I check to see if he has added to his collection. Small pieces that are … [Read more...]




A Safari, Travel-Inspired Bedroom Guaranteed to Delight Any Guest

Welcome to the 474th Metamorphosis Monday! Delphine enjoys traveling and has collected some wonderful memorabilia over the years. When she designed her guest room, she was inspired to decorate in a delightful travel/safari theme What a fabulous idea for a guest room since anyone lucky enough to sleep here would most likely love all things, travel.   For this travel-themed bedroom, Delphine … [Read more...]




Frame a Hermes Silk Scarf with Museum Glass for Maximum Protection and Clarity

This is definitely another "Instagram-Made-Me-Do-It" project. So, I was minding my own business one day, checking out a fave Instagram account when I came across this picture below.   I immediately recognized that infamous Hermes orange and the iconic brown ribbon Hermes uses to tie all of their wonderful packages.   I had never seen this particular scarf before and loved … [Read more...]




Chevron Walls Turn a Home Office Into a Beautiful Nursery

Welcome to the 473rd Metamorphosis Monday! Before I get into today's fabulous Before and After, wanted to let you know of two awesome sales that are currently going on but about to end at two of my favorite shoppes. Talbots has a huge pants and jeans sale going on, pants that are normally $95 and up are currently on sale for $19.99! That sale ends today. You'll find all the pants that are included in the … [Read more...]




How Much Does It Cost To Have VHS & 8 mm Tapes Transferred Over to DVD?

Thanks so much for all your input on Saturday's post about the hall/basement door I recently had replaced. After reading all the comments, I was leaning toward having the door installation redone. (Read the comments here: Is This Door Too Short?)   I've had such mixed feelings about this situation and that's not normal for me. Normally when work is done in my home and there's a problem, I … [Read more...]




A Beautiful, Colorful Porch Makeover for Summer

Welcome to the 443rd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently Brenda wanted to update her front porch. It had been a few years since she last decorated this area and felt it was past time for a makeover.   This bench was still super cute, just needed a bit of TLC and some updating.   The chairs, though still comfortable, were really showing a lot of wear. I love the built-in side … [Read more...]




Decorating Ideas, Games & Party Favors for a Festive Bee-Themed Party

Welcome to the 439th Metamorphosis Monday! There's 1 day left to enter the giveaway for a $500 Shopping Spree Credit to Noritake China! If you still haven't thrown your name in the hat, you can do that here: $500 Store Credit to Noritake China. Each year Debbie, a BNOTP reader, hosts a "My Favorite Things" Party. In case you missed it I shared her 2017 party in this post: Breakfast at Tiffany's Party … [Read more...]




A Cute Footstool with Storage Gets a New Look

A couple of months ago a large tree fell in my back yard, gently laying itself down across the length of the yard.   I'm beginning to think I may have a tree jinx going on because I was on the porch a few days ago and discovered this below! In talking with my neighbors and others in this area, I learned that we had a big storm with 70 mph winds come through about a week before I returned home … [Read more...]




No Tub for the Master Bath: Good Idea or Regrettable Trend?

Welcome to the 419th Metamorphosis Monday! A few weeks ago when I was replacing all my surge protectors around the house for new ones, I discovered an outlet in my office wasn't working. I called in an electrician to fix it. While he was here we started talking master bathroom renovations. During our discussion, he told me something really surprising. Did you know that some folks who are renovating … [Read more...]




Decorate Your Porch for the Autumn Season

Welcome to the 402nd Metamorphosis Monday! Linda has a beautiful 3-season porch that I've shared before here at BNOTP. It's so much fun seeing how she decorates it for the seasons and holidays. When we last visited Linda, her porch was all set for summer, decorated in a wonderful navy and white nautical theme. (See that post here: Nautical Decor & Tablescape)   With the arrival of … [Read more...]




Decorate Your Porch for Autumn & Halloween

Welcome to the 401st Metamorphosis Monday! How was your first weekend of October? When the calendar says "October" I guess there's no denying fall is here. Everything is still lush and green here in Georgia but I know that's about to change. Blog Update This weekend I had a big update come across for my blog. After the update had completed, the slider that's normally at the top of the blog was … [Read more...]




Can a Fashion Piece Become a Decorating Accessory?

If you love handbags, chances are you've collected a few over the years. I don't have a big collection, but the bags I do have I really love and try to care for them as best I can so they'll last and look nice for a long time. Lately I've been doing a little reading about the best way to store a handbag when you're not carrying it. Normally the recommendation is to keep handbags inside a closet away from … [Read more...]




Create An Autumn Porch That Will Invite Guests To Linger

Welcome to the 397th Metamorphosis Monday! Even though it's still nice and warm here in Georgia, the mornings are feeling wonderfully cool. I come downstairs each morning and throw open the doors to the screened porch and let the cool morning air fill the house. Some days are so nice now, I can leave the doors open all day.   This weekend I went ahead and hung my favorite fall wreath … [Read more...]




5 Projects I Want To Do In My Home, But Probably Never Will

Now that's a strange twist, isn't it--blogging about projects I'm not going to do instead of a project I plan to do. lol  This topic is fresh on my mind right now because I just got back from visiting a large, hardware store near my home. I was there to scope out a project I was considering doing but have decided against. Once I get an idea in my head, it's really hard for me to let go. But I've learned … [Read more...]




Design Styles: Which Ones Are Just Trends & Which Are Here To Stay?

Yesterday I turned on the TV and caught a few minutes of one of HGTV's shows about "tiny house living." They have several shows going on right now about this latest trend. A family of four (wife, husband and two young children) had just completed building their tiny house and the wife made the comment that she knew folks would wonder how a family with two children under the age of 4 was going to manage … [Read more...]




Taper Tipper: Easiest Way To Trim Down the Base of a Candle

Welcome to the 393rd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I shared this summer table setting for Tablescape Thursday. Thanks so much for all the lovely comments you left on that post--appreciated those so much!   The centerpiece for that table was all about candles, lots and lots of candles. (Tablescape can be viewed here: Romantic Candlelight Dinner on the Porch)   In that post I … [Read more...]




Romantic Candlelight Dinner on the Porch

Welcome to the 410th Tablescape Thursday! I've been saving clear bottles for a couple of years in hopes of one day creating this table setting. I was surprised by how long it took to save the bottles, seems like every tall drink comes in a colored bottle. Recently when I was cleaning out the garage and came across the bottles, I decided it was finally time to put this little table together here on the … [Read more...]




How To Make a Tiered Planter From Terra Cotta Saucers

Yesterday for Tablescape Thursday, I shared a table setting featuring a 3-tiered planter or plant stand as the centerpiece.   Today I'm sharing detailed instructions showing how I made the planter, in case you would like to make one, too. This is one of the easiest DIY projects I've ever made and it only took about 1-1/2 hours to make. Well, maybe a little longer for the jute part, more on … [Read more...]




GE Slate Appliances Showcase the Beauty & Not the Fingerprints

Stainless steel appliances have been a really popular choice for kitchens over the last few years. It's a great option for some kitchens, but it wasn't quite the look I had in mind when I completed my modest kitchen renovation a few years back.   Since there were not a lot of other choices besides stainless steel back then, I went with a white finish for all my appliances. White has worked … [Read more...]




10 Easy Centerpieces Anyone Can Make for a Spring or Summer Celebration

Welcome to the 390th Tablescape Thursday! For this week's Tablescape Thursday, I'm sharing 10 fun centerpieces anyone can make. These centerpieces use common things we already have or items that are usually pretty easy to find in dollar stores and discount shops. The only exception may be the 5th one down, the cookie tree centerpiece, which needs a little tree of some type for display. Hope this gets … [Read more...]




A Dream Outdoor Summer House & Gardening Shed

I love being outdoors, listening to the birds chirping and feeling the soft breezes as they stir through the trees. I've been known to go outside and spend the entire day there, either digging in the yard or just whiling around the hours on the porch completely lost in a good book. Recently, I came across the most wonderful outdoor space, truly a dream garden. I'm pretty sure when we pass on one day, … [Read more...]




25 Things This Charles Faudree Room Taught Me About Design

I grew up in a very plain, utilitarian environment. My mom was very sick throughout my life, so I'm not sure if she ever had any interest in decorating or design. I'm guessing she would have if she hadn't become sick because she loved creative pursuits like embroidery and crocheting. Before she became so sick and while awaiting my arrival, she crocheted this lovely luncheon set complete with little … [Read more...]




Velvet Drapes for a Paneled, English Country-Style Living Room

Welcome to the 367th Metamorphosis Monday! Do you sometimes find yourself putting off a DIY job, even though it seems like a small project? Maybe you're waiting until the mood hits or you're finally ready mentally to tackle it. That's kind of where I've been with hanging my drapes here in the living room. I was thinking about this on Saturday, about why I've been putting it off, and I think I know … [Read more...]




Ballard Designs Speaks & A Lesson in Drapery Clip Rings

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend! When I awoke today, I was in the mood to move forward on the drapery project I recently started here in the family room. You may remember this photo where I had draped the green, velvet draperies I found recently in a Ballard Designs Outlet over the tops of my plantation shutters to get an idea how they would work in this room.   The Velvet Dilemma: Ballard … [Read more...]




DIY Hot Cocoa Sign for a Hot Chocolate Bar: A Tutorial

A couple of days ago I shared a Hot Cocoa bar I created out on my screened porch. The bar area included a sign I made that was inspired by a sign I had seen floating around blogland a few years back. After not having any success locating a similar sign, I decided it was time to head downstairs to my basement workshop and make my own. (Inspiration sign and detail views of the Hot Cocoa Bar can be seen in … [Read more...]




Create a Hot Cocoa Bar for Winter Entertaining

Happy Holidays to you, dear Friends! We're out on the porch today and I know it's a little chilly. Don't worry though, I have just the thing to warm us up. Step right over here and belly up to the bar--the Hot Cocoa Bar, that is. :)   I've been envisioning a Hot Cocoa Bar for years out here on the porch, but I could never quite gather together all the bits and pieces I needed to create it, … [Read more...]




In the BNOTP Library: Decorating Secrets by Mary Carol Garrity

I believe I have every book Mary Carol Garrity has ever written. I was thinking today, I wish she would do one on Halloween decorating. Mary Carol, I hope you see this!   In the BNOTP Library: Decorating Secrets Author: Mary Carol Garrity 3 Things I Like About This Book: In this book, Mary Carol is taking us under her wing and sharing the decorating secrets she's learned from … [Read more...]




Refreshing The Porch For Autumn Joy

Welcome to the 350th Metamorphosis Monday! I'm super excited to share a wonderful autumn porch makeover by my friends, Mary and Dave at Front Porch Ideas and More. This makeover has lots of great ideas including no-sew pillows, a DIY table runner and an outdoor furniture makeover done on a budget. Here's Mary now to share how she and Dave, with the help of their darling granddaughter, Millie, … [Read more...]