My Nest — Page 3

Getting Stuff Done & It Feels Good!

November 5, 2013 by Susan 36 Comments

Doesn't it feel good to finally get "stuff" done that's been needing to be done for ages? I know, the list is always endless, but at least I can finally check a few things off. Yesterday, I left you with a painted screened door, but before it could be installed it needed to be re-screened. It just barely fit into the back of my SUV, but thankfully it did and off we went to the screening … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks

How to Paint Doors Like a Pro

November 4, 2013 by Susan 68 Comments

Welcome to the 249th Metamorphosis Monday! One of the most basic DIY jobs we face at one time or another is painting. We've all painted a room or two in our time, haven't we? Paint truly has the ability to transform a space taking it from so-so to sooo beautiful! I've never been afraid to paint walls but doors have always been a bit of a mystery for me. More than once I've painted a door to … [Read more...]

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

A Garden Seat for the Frog

October 23, 2013 by Susan 45 Comments

Not that kind of frog, although he is totally cute! Source Have you noticed how ceramic garden seats seem to be available everywhere now? I remember years ago seeing them in decorating magazines but I could never find any back then, at least not at a price I was willing to pay. Last spring I was on a quest to buy a garden seat for the screened porch. I found this one with a pretty … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest

Prepping a Room for Paint: It’s Easier Than You Think

October 9, 2013 by Susan 23 Comments

I have always loved the almost instant makeover paint can give a room. But before the painting, there's always the part that we tend to dread--the prep work. It reminds me of gardening, all we really want to do is plant pretty flowers, but if we don't prepare the soil first, chances are the flowers are not going to look pretty for very long. I used to be intimidated by the idea of repairing a hole or a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Repairs and Fixes, Office/Craft/Sewing Room

Fall Color for the Front Porch

September 24, 2013 by Susan 51 Comments

Still waiting for a bit cooler weather to transplant the Japanese maple and to landscape around the porch, but at least the porch is a happy place! Can't wait to get those shrubs in around it. It shouldn't be long now. We've been waiting for some cooler days and I think they are here. In the meantime, I'm trying to imagine the Georgia red clay splashed up onto the brick is a lovely fall accent. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor

Paint Your Porch Ceiling, Haint Blue

September 20, 2013 by Susan 90 Comments

When I added a screened porch onto the back of my home five years ago, I was very tempted to paint the ceiling haint blue. For years I had seen homes all over the south with porch ceilings painted a soft, sky blue. I ultimately decided it wouldn't work for my porch because of the gable ceiling. You may remember this home from our tour of Isle of Hope just outside Savannah Georgia. It's sporting a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Haint Blue, Haint Blue Paint, Paint For Porch Ceilings, Southern Traditions

An Autumn Mantel and Fire Screen

September 18, 2013 by Susan 75 Comments

It's been a while since I've posted a fall mantel, the last time was late September 2011. I only have one fireplace, thus one mantel in my home and it's in the den, a room with honey-colored judges paneling. (Picture below from last year, just after Christmas.) Photography is always a bit of a challenge, even with a tripod. The walls just soak up all the light. This is how … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home

Decorate in White for Fall

September 10, 2013 by Susan 65 Comments

It's late summer and the temps are still warm here in the south, but in the evenings there's a hint of fall in the air. Yesterday I shared a new lamp I had just added to the porch. It's painted one of my fave colors, a soft green. I love the color combination of green and white. It feels so fresh and so alive. I have a hutch here on the porch and it's painted in the same pretty … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, The Holiday Home Tagged With: Decorating in White, Fall Decorating, Halloween Decorating, Porch Decorating, Turkey Soup Tureens, White Pumpkins, White Turkeys

Porch Lighting: Create a Cozy Atmosphere with Lamps

September 9, 2013 by Susan 67 Comments

Welcome to the 241st Metamorphosis Monday! Five years ago when I replaced my seen-better-days-deck with a screened-in porch, I purchased white wicker furniture, including a wicker swing for this space. I couldn't really find any lamps I liked so I just decided to use lamps I already had thinking I'd eventually replace them with something better. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've … [Read more...]

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

The Office Layout and A Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier for Tight Spaces

September 6, 2013 by Susan 80 Comments

Every so often I get an e-mail from someone who is in the process of putting together an office with the Pottery Barn Bedford furniture and they ask what pieces I used to achieve the layout I have in my home office. It's always hard to answer that question in an e-mail because I had to get creative and go off the grid a bit to make it work the way I wanted. I've been meaning to write about this for ages. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY, DIY Decorating, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room

A Brick Walkway Redesign

September 3, 2013 by Susan 63 Comments

In my front yard, there lives a Southern Magnolia, Grandiflora. And grand she is! I didn't place her here. Even with my limited knowledge of gardening, I know better than to plant a Southern Magnolia 10 feet out from a house. (Remember when the yard looked like this?) Let's take a little ride in my time machine. The year is 1989 and we are out house hunting or "trying out houses" as Chip … [Read more...]

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

Boxwood Topiaries for a Traditional Landscape

September 2, 2013 by Susan 84 Comments

Welcome to the 240th Metamorphosis Monday! How's your Labor Day weekend going? I hope you're having a fun one! Well, it took some doing but I finally found a couple of matching boxwoods for the planters I purchased recently for the front porch area. Remember these large containers I purchased a couple of weeks ago? They replaced the too-small concrete pots that had been there for … [Read more...]

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

Create a Small, Sun-Loving Perennial Garden

August 19, 2013 by Susan 69 Comments

Welcome to the 238th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I did a little more planting and if the rain will let up, I'm headed to a nursery today in search of plants for the large planters I purchased recently for the porch. I'm in a bit of a conundrum, though. Two of the nurseries I have talked to told me they will be getting large shipments in for fall, so I'm trying to decide: Do I … [Read more...]

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

New Lattice Planters for the Porch

August 16, 2013 by Susan 68 Comments

You know those days when you run and work, work and run, but at the end of the day you're not real sure what you've gotten accomplished. Lately some of my days are feeling that way. I'm kind of in never-never land or maybe a better term is landscaping limbo. I have about forty-eleven projects running through my head and some require decision making, some require additional money and some require input … [Read more...]

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

A Landscaping “To-Do” List and a Surprise “Before and After”

August 13, 2013 by Susan 150 Comments

I've been putting off a major landscape renovation for several years. I knew it would have to start with some serious tree removal and the process would be expensive and emotionally taxing. I hate cutting down trees but there is no shortage of trees in my yard, my neighborhood or this area. If anything, as I drive around my area I see so many houses in the same situation mine was in--buried behind and under … [Read more...]

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

Adding Color and Whimsy to the Garden

August 12, 2013 by Susan 80 Comments

Welcome to the 237th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend was a first for me. It was the first time I've ever planted annuals in August. When I went shopping, I wasn't sure if I'd find any since I've never shopped for them this late in the season. Surprisingly the usual places (hardware stores, big box discount stores and garden centers) do have them, even in August. The selection isn't what it is in mid … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Angel Wing Begonias, Annual Flower Beds, Garden Art, Glass Art in the Garden, Hose Guides, Lantana, Vinca

Water New Grass with an In-ground Irrigation System

August 9, 2013 by Susan 40 Comments

One of the chief components to ensuring a newly installed lawn takes root and establishes well is water, lots and lots of water. I was told by my landscaper and the sod farm to water it at least twice a day for the first two weeks. If we were having a really super hot August (thankfully, we're not) I'd probably have to water even more. Fortunately, when I moved into this house 22 years ago, I installed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest

Paint Your Front Door Heritage Red or Peacock Blue

August 7, 2013 by Susan 66 Comments

Recently, I had my front door freshened up with a new coat of paint. The final coat of paint went on day before yesterday. We ran into a little problem but finally found the solution...more on that in a sec. I stayed with my beloved, Benjamin Moore "Heritage Red." I still love that color for a front door. Since the front door was being repainted, I decided to make a few changes. I decided to remove … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Blue Front Doors, Paint Colors for Front Doors, Red Front Doors

Chipmunk Baths

August 6, 2013 by Susan 52 Comments

When I decided to sod my yard with Zeon Zoysia, to save money I planned to do it in two stages: Front yard, followed by the back yard next summer. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that was probably not such a great idea. I was concerned the grass in the front yard would get damaged next summer when the backyard sodding process got underway. I'm so glad now I went ahead and did both at the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, For the Love of Birds, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Backyard Landscaping, Zeon Zoysia

A Sweet Bird Girl in the Garden

August 5, 2013 by Susan 97 Comments

Welcome to the 236th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I spent all day Friday and Saturday at the Haven Conference in Atlanta. On Sunday, I finished putting out another 25 bags of mulch. That brings the total to 102 bags of mulch! Normally it wouldn't take that much mulch but many of the beds/islands are empty, awaiting shrubs this fall. Today I'm taking you into the yard to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Bird Girl, Garden Statuary, Landscaping, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Sod, Zeon Zoysia

Zeon Zoysia for the Front Yard

July 31, 2013 by Susan 93 Comments

Yesterday was definitely a day of mixed emotions, first excitement, then some disappointment. Though things didn't go quite as planned, I still have some fun "after" photos to share. The Zeon Zoysia sod was delivered and installation got underway. As the day wore on, it became apparent there wasn't enough sod to complete the job. The side yard and a portion of the back still needs sod, so instead … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Sodding Yard, Zeon Sod, Zeon Sod Installation

Sod Day!

July 30, 2013 by Susan 45 Comments

Today is another crazy day in the neighborhood. This morning there was still a little work to be done in preparation for the sod, but the sod is here. 12 pallets waiting to be installed in the front and back. I went with Zeon Zoysia. I have plenty of sun out front but the back is kind of shady. Zeon is the most shade tolerant of all the warm-season turf grass varieties. It's a fine-textured … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Perennial Garden, Rudbeckia Herbstonne, Sod Installation, Sodding a Yard, Zeon Zoysia, Zoysia

A Gardening “Before and After”

July 24, 2013 by Susan 29 Comments

Wow, crazy day! This post was suppose to be up hours ago but so much has happened today, I'm running way behind. I've decided to go ahead and sod the back yard at the same time the front yard is being done. Since the job has grown, we've decided to wait and start it on Monday. Monday will be prep day and Tuesday will be install day, barring no more rain. The sod farms can't cut sod when it's standing in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Container Plants, Deck Plantings, Geraniums, Petunias, Ponytail Fern, Sky Pencil Holly

The Quest for a Comfortable Desk Chair: Take 3

July 22, 2013 by Susan 109 Comments

Welcome to the 234th Metamorphosis Monday! The Quest for a Comfortable Chair: Take 3 I have a little office update, one I've been meaning to share for a while. As you may recall, when I first put the office together, I started out with this chair (below) from Pottery Barn Teen. I loved how it looked but it turned out to be horrible on zay ole back. Pretty? Definitely. Practical? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Comfortable Desk Chairs, Pottery Barn Airgo Swivel Desk Chair, Pottery Barn Bedford Office Furniture

My Fave Yellow Paint Colors: Duron Sugar Cookie and Duron Tea Biscuit

July 19, 2013 by Susan 73 Comments

One of my fave paint colors I go to time and time again is an old, old Duron color called Sugar Cookie. There's a little story how I first discovered this color. Many, many years ago, through a job I had at the time, I met a delightful lady who was the wife of a professional coach for a local university. I can't remember now if he was a footfall or basketball coach. Anyway, when I visited their home, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Dining Room, DIY, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Entry/Foyer, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Duron Sugar Cookie, Duron Tea Biscuit, Neutral Paint Colors, Yellow Paint Colors

Landscape Renovation: Big Changes and Ready for the Sod

July 17, 2013 by Susan 57 Comments

Things are starting to happen quickly now with the front landscape renovation. The stump grinder guy didn't make it out yesterday but he is on his way now as I type this. Then the slate will be clean for the sod installation on Tuesday. Yipee! Last week I drove by a few of the lawns installed by the company I've chosen to install my sod. I've decided to go with Zeon Zoysia. I like what I've read online … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Gardening, Landscaping, Removing Overgrown Foundation Plants, Sodding a Yard, Tree Removal

Front Yard Landscape Renovation

July 1, 2013 by Susan 109 Comments

Welcome to the 231st Metamorphosis Monday! Before I dive into this week's Met Monday, just wanted to take a second to answer a question I've been getting about the BNOTP newsletter, Postcards from the Porch. I haven't sent one out since Max passed because I just didn't have the energy to create blog posts and put together the newsletter, too. I will be starting it back up soon though, most likely this … [Read more...]

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

Front Yard Landscape Makeover: The Beginning

June 28, 2013 by Susan 96 Comments

Atlanta has a lot of nicknames, Hotlanta and The Big Peach to name a few. My favorite has always been, the City in the Forest. Apparently, it got that name because when flying into Hartsfield Jackson, Atlanta appears to be nestled down into a forest. The drought has taken its toll on a lot of trees over the last few years though, so not sure if Atlanta is still living up to its City in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Brick Walkway, Front Yard Landscaping, Front Yard Renovation, Leyland Cypress, River Birch, Tree Removal

A Tabletop Greenhouse for Growing Herbs

June 3, 2013 by Susan 80 Comments

Welcome to the 227th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was wonderful! Today for Met Monday, I'm sharing a small update out on the porch. I don't often change things out here since I'm pretty happy with it, as is. If I make a change something else usually has to leave. A while back I made an update to the small oval table under the Summer Breeze sign. You may remember, it got … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: DG Porches, Greenhouses, Growing Herbs, Herbs, Screened Porchs, Tabletop Greenhouses, Terrariums

Fill Those Summer Pots and Planters Without Blowing the Budget

May 10, 2013 by Susan 89 Comments

This past Sunday I managed to get a little planting done before the rain started back. Most of the planting took place on the deck off to the right of the porch, the one with the bottle tree. Come spring, I'm always looking for ways to spruce up and add color and life to the deck without spending a whole bunch. Bottle trees are a great way to add color and liven things up and they require no … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature, Porches Tagged With: Bottle Tree, Bottle Trees, Container Gardening, Deck Plants, Foxt Tail Fern, Garden Seats, Geraniums, Ponytail Fern, Wave Petunias, Window Boxes

Solar Post Caps for the Decks

May 3, 2013 by Susan 66 Comments

Exhausted! That describes me today. Every year or two I have a company come out to pressure wash the decks and screened-in porch. The process is exhausting but everything always looks great once it's done. I had to take the sheers back down. I also covered up the outdoor speakers and the table since it was too large to really move anywhere. The outdoor wicker was moved onto the deck. Table … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Deck Lighting, Deck Post Caps, Solar Post Caps, Solar Powered Post Caps

The Morning Room

April 29, 2013 by Susan 73 Comments

Welcome to the 223rd Metamorphosis Monday! Do you have a room in your home that's your absolute favorite spot to be in the early morning? My upstairs family room is that room for me. You may recognize the next 2-3 pictures since I've shared them before here on BNOTP. This room is a cheerful, bright room, but early in the morning it's truly a sunny, happy spot to be. One of the reasons this … [Read more...]

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

Cover Metal Swing Chains for a Softer Look on the Porch

April 22, 2013 by Susan 77 Comments

Welcome to the 222nd Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? We had nice weather here and I decided it was time to get to work on priming the new screened door out of the porch. While I was priming it, I had a "uh-duh" moment. I wish it had been an "Ah-ha" moment, but unfortunately it wasn't. No, it was definitely an "uh-duh" moment. I suddenly realized in the midst of priming, there was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Decks, DG Porches, Knock-out Roses, Porch Swings, Screened-in Porch, Topiary Roses

Summer Breeze Makes Me Feel Fine

April 17, 2013 by Susan 92 Comments

I couldn't stand it. It was a gorgeous day yesterday and the porch was calling, begging me to come out and play. Pollen, you are not the boss of me! I liked Lisa's idea from yesterday's post of just covering the seating areas with sheets during this high pollen season. Then when you want to enjoy the porch, you just remove the sheet and replace it when you're done. Sounds like a plan! The fans … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: IKEA pillows, Porch Decor, Porch Furniture, Screened Porches, Shamrocks, Sheers for the Porches, Shell Wreaths, Wicker Swings

The Attack of the Yellow Stuff

April 16, 2013 by Susan 119 Comments

I'm always getting questions about how I keep the porch looking so clean. Wellllll, it isn't always so clean. I think it just appears that way in pictures. Every spring around April, a monsoon of pollen hits. When I got home from the hospital on Friday, here's how I found the porch. Notice how the table seems to have a yellowish cast? It's all pollen and it's just getting started! You … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Porches, Uncategorized

A New Screened Door for the Porch

April 15, 2013 by Susan 100 Comments

Welcome to the 221st Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments you left on Friday's post. I'm so grateful for all your well wishes and prayers...please know that. I'm way behind in responding to e-mails so if you e-mailed me in the last week or so and haven't heard back, I hope to get caught up on my e-mail correspondence over the next few days. Each day I'm getting stronger and … [Read more...]

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

Inching Toward Spring: An Update for the Porch

March 4, 2013 by Susan 112 Comments

Welcome to the 215th Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I had planned to post a tutorial for the fun napkin fold I used in last week's St. Patrick's Day table setting. I know several folks asked for that and I promise that will go out in my very next post, which should be tomorrow. For this Met Monday, I have a little change out on the porch to share, one I've been needing to make for a long … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: DG Porches, Lamps, Outdoor Lighting, Porch Lamps, Porch lighting, Screened Porches, Shell Lighting

Screened-in Porches: How Much Do They Cost to Build?

February 12, 2013 by Susan 149 Comments

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how much did it cost to build your screened porch? With spring just a couple of months away, I thought I'd share all the details, facts and figures, in hopes it will help answer some of the questions I know many folks have about adding a porch. Having a screened-in porch had always been a dream of mine. We had a small screened porch at our very first … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Deck and Porch Additions, Electrical Outlets for a Porch or Deck, Frog Fountain, Pergola, Porch Books, Porch Dining, Porch Furniture, Porch Swing, Screened-in Porch, Wicker Furniture

A Comfy Desk Chair for the Office

February 11, 2013 by Susan 86 Comments

Welcome to the 212th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? Were you in blizzard territory? The pictures I've been seeing online are amazing! For this Met Monday, I'm sharing a "comfort" change I made in the office this weekend. It was one I was reluctant to make but finally decided it needed to be done. If you have been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember when I purchased my desk … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Belsante Chairs, Comfortable Desk Chairs, Comfortable Office Chairs, Desk Chairs, Office Chairs, White Desk Chairs, White Leather Chairs, White Office Chairs

Natural Fiber Ottoman or Stool for the Office

January 28, 2013 by Susan 107 Comments

Welcome to the 210th Metamorphosis Monday! Last night I happened to turn on the TV while Downton Abbey was on. I can never remember exactly when it comes on so I always end up watching it in bits and pieces over the week as the episode is replayed over and over on PBS. I watched last night until the foreshadowing became too foreboding. An arrogant, know-it-all doctor and talk of swollen ankles was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Garden Seat, Home Office, IKEA Billy Bookcases, Natural Fiber Ottoman, Office Library, Pottery Barn Bedford Furniture, Woven Ottoman

Resin Candle Covers and Silk-Wrapped Bulbs for the Bedroom Chandelier

January 21, 2013 by Susan 88 Comments

Welcome to the 209th Metamorphosis Monday! I have a little master bedroom update to share for this Met Monday. You may remember, back in November I updated the candle covers on the chandelier in the dining room. The old plastic covers had gradually yellowed over the past 16+ years and were looking pretty bad. I also replaced the regular bulbs that were so glaring on the eyes with silk-wrapped bulbs. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, My Nest Tagged With: Chandelier for Master Bedroom, Crystal Chandelier, Resin Candle Covers, Satin-Wrapped Bulbs, Silk-Wrapped Bulbs, Wax Candle Covers

Office Update: Finally Found the Right Spot

January 14, 2013 by Susan 142 Comments

Welcome to the 208th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? We've been having unusually warm weather...70 degrees out on the porch yesterday and today. Crazy! This is January, right? Yesterday was my birthday and I'm not sure when I remember a birthday this warm. Loving it while it last, though. I have a small Before/After for this Met Monday, one I thought I'd share in case it's helpful or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Pottery Barn Bedford Office Furniture, TV in Home Office, Update for Home Office

Dining Room Addition: French-Pleated Check Draperies

November 19, 2012 by Susan 125 Comments

Welcome to the 200th Metamorphosis Monday! We've officially been celebrating your fabulous Before and Afters for 200 weeks now! Wowza! Thank you so much for joining the party each week and sharing your amazing creativity and talent! I'm looking forward to 200 more! The Accidental Decorator: Well, the Accidental Decorator has been at it again. As I've mentioned before, I seem to fall into some of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Dining Room, My Nest Tagged With: Ballard Designs, Check Curtains, Check Draperies, Clip Rings for Curtains, Curtain Rings for Pinch Pleats, French Pleats, Red Dining Room

Transform Your Chandelier with Resin Candle Covers and Silk-Wrapped Bulbs

November 16, 2012 by Susan 65 Comments

Greetings! How has your week been? Are you ready for the weekend...the last weekend before Thanksgiving? Doing any baking or cooking in advance? Cleaning and readying the house for family? This next week is going to be a busy one for many folks. Last week I wrote about a little "upgrade" I'm giving the chandelier in my dining room. You can read the story of how I found/purchased this chandelier in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Dining Room, My Nest Tagged With: Chandelier Make-over Renovation, Resin Candle Covers, Romantic Chandeliers, Satin-Wrapped Bulbs, Silk-Wrapped Bulbs, Wax Candle Covers

Thanksgiving Tablescape, 2012

November 15, 2012 by Susan 90 Comments

Welcome to the 219th Tablescape Thursday! I'd also like to welcome listeners from the Bekah, Lynne, Thursdays show! Thanks so much for stopping by and thanks to Bekah and Lynne for the shout-out today on their mid-morning show! If you're looking for the home tour of the adorable cottage in the movie, The Holiday, you'll find it here: Tour Rosehill Cottage from the movie, The Holiday. Thanksgiving … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dining Room, Fall Tablescapes, My Nest, Tablescape Thursday, Tablescapes Holiday Tablescapes, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, Thanksgiving Table Settings, Thanksgiving Tablescapes, The Holiday Home Tagged With: Antler Flatware, Indian corn, Pottery Barn Rustic Turkey, Spode Woodland, Spode Woodland Flatware, Thanksgiving Table Settings, Thanksgiving Tablescapes, Turkey Tureens

Beeswax Candle Covers and Satin-Wrapped Bulbs for Chandeliers

November 6, 2012 by Susan 55 Comments

I've been working on a lot of little small projects around the house lately. One of the projects I have going right now involves the chandelier in my dining room. In a previous post, I mentioned there was a little story that goes with this piece so I thought today might be a good day to share it. Do you like little stories? If so, grab a cup of coffee or a glass a wine and I'll share my chandelier … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Dining Room, My Nest Tagged With: Beeswax Candle Covers, Crystal Chandeliers, Satin-Wrapped Bulbs

Labeling the Baskets in the Closet Expedit

November 5, 2012 by Susan 50 Comments

Welcome to the 198th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I made a trip to a lighting store in search of some items to "upgrade" a chandelier in my home. I'll be posting about that soon and can't wait to share it! Ballard Designs outlet is just a few blocks away from the lighting store. Since I'm rarely in that area, I decided to stop in. The parking lot was packed which is unusual even for a Saturday. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Closet Organization, Expedit, Labeling Baskets, Metal Hanging Tags, Office Storage, Organization

A New Lamp for the Office & A Little Halloween Fun

October 30, 2012 by Susan 43 Comments

Before I share something fun and lighthearted (a nice distraction on this day) I just wanted to say my heart and prayers go out to all effected by Hurricane Sandy. ♥ A Little Halloween Decorating & A New Lamp for the Office If you've been following the progress of the office, you know I've been hoping to find some new lamps better suited for this space than the polished brass lamps I'm currently … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room, The Holiday Home Tagged With: Halloween, Halloween Decorating, Home Office, Lighting for Reading

Contemplating New Window Treatments for the Family Room

October 16, 2012 by Susan 153 Comments

For many, many years my family room looked like this. About ten months ago I nixed all the faux greenery on that end of the room. It was all looking pretty faded and tired, so it was time for a change. I haven't missed the greenery at all. The de-fauxing took place right after Christmastime last year so my tree was still up. See those cascades/jabots. They have been hanging … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest Tagged With: Hearthwood Floral, Hunt themed family room den, Jewel tone drapes curtains, Window Treatments for the Family Room

Make Pumpkin Topiaries for an Autumn Porch

October 15, 2012 by Susan 121 Comments

Welcome to the 195th Metamorphosis Monday! Right after I added a front porch onto my home around 4 years ago, I bought some faux topiaries from a local store here in Atlanta. I would have loved real topiaries on the porch, but I knew I'd never remember to keep them watered and they probably wouldn't survive in the shade of the porch. The faux topiaries turned out to be an expensive mistake. They … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: Autumn Decorating, Decorating for Fall with Corn Stalks, Fall Decorating, Front Porch Decorated for Fall, Indian Corn Door Decoration for Fall, Pumpkin Topiary, Scarecrow

Upgrading the Necessary Room

October 12, 2012 by Susan 66 Comments

Good morning! It's Friday! Are you looking forward to the weekend? I really wanted to spend the weekend going on the Georgia Trust Ramble in LaGrange, GA, but instead I'll be staying home getting some cleaning and other non-fun stuff done around here. Yuck...tours are way more fun. Speaking of things that are less-than-fun, this is what was happening in my home this morning at 8:30 AM. Two new … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Baths, Before & After, My Nest Tagged With: Kohler Highline, Water-sense toilets

Show Your Colors and Showcase Your Fabulous Before and After

October 5, 2012 by Susan 35 Comments

Greetings! It's Friday! Have any projects around the house you'll be working on this weekend? Any painting projects? If so, I have a little sumpin', sumpin' to get you inspired and raring to go! In March, I shared about an exciting new site by Glidden called My Colortopia. My Colortopia was especially designed to help us DIYers when we're agonizing over finding the right paint color … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dining Room, DIY, DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest Tagged With: Dining Room Before and After, Painting Before and Afters, Red Dining Room

Greet Your Guests with an Autumn Basket

September 10, 2012 by Susan 80 Comments

Welcome to the 190th Metamorphosis Monday! Ever since I came across this picture of Mary Carol Garrity's front door with this eye-catching, unusually long basket, I've been hooked on decorating doors with a basket of flowers. This photo is from the book, Nell Hill's Decorating Secrets and it is an excellent book. I think I have every book she's written and I love them all. Highly recommend … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: Autumn Basket for Door, Fall Wreath, Floral Basket for Front Door

Organization and Storage for the Home Office, Craft, Sewing Room

September 7, 2012 by Susan 86 Comments

That's me, I admit it. Anything that helps me put my hands on what I'm looking for, even if it's only a teensy bit faster, I'm all over it. Recently I shared a whimsical addition to the office, a faux deer head with a rosemary wreath. There was another little addition hiding in plain site on the desk under the wrapping paper organizer. Did you notice it? I spotted this organizer caddy at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Organization and Storage, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Organization, Organization and Storage Ideas for the home office

Deer Head with Rosemary Wreath

August 27, 2012 by Susan 90 Comments

Welcome to the 188th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday to you! For this Metamorphosis Monday I'm sharing a couple of fun updates here in the office. Okay, here's the "before" picture for this little office tweak. Do you see the changes? Something has been added and something has been taken away. The clock is gone for now. I loved it but the shape felt wrong for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room, The Holiday Home Tagged With: Add Whimsy to a Room, Christmas Decorating, Decorating with Deer Heads, Deer head with Rosemary Wreath

A New Mirror for the Office

July 31, 2012 by Susan 108 Comments

Back in September, I was on an all-out mirror search for the office. I wanted a mirror to go above the chest in my little reading corner, something that would reflect the light coming in through the windows . I found this silver one at Marshalls for just $20 and brought it home to try it out. You may remember it from THIS previous Metamorphosis Monday. It looked pretty good except for one thing. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room

A New Lamp for the Porch

July 13, 2012 by Susan 57 Comments

I love lamp lighting. Actually, I'm pretty obsessed over lighting in general. I never use overhead lighting, unless I'm just turning it on for a few seconds to find something I've dropped. One exception is a chandelier on a dimmer switch...those can really create a nice mood in a room. Pretty early on in the process of decorating/furnishing the rooms in my home, I discovered how lamp lighting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Lamp, Lamp with wicker or cane design, Lamplighting, Outdoor Lighting, Porch Lamp, Porch lighting, White lamp

Dining Room Venetian Glass Mirror

June 25, 2012 by Susan 78 Comments

Welcome to the 179th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings! I have a small Before and After to share this week. A few years ago, around Christmastime, I hung a glittery wreath atop the Venetian glass mirror in my dining room. (Click for Christmas table setting.) I liked the look so much I left it there year 'round. (Click for Thanksgiving table setting) But lately the wreath has begun to look a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Dining Room, My Nest Tagged With: Antique French Balloon Clock, Red Dining Room, Silver lamps, Venetian Glass Mirror

A Shell Wreath for the Summer Porch

June 11, 2012 by Susan 80 Comments

Welcome to the 177th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings! I'm excited to share a small change on the porch for this Metamorphosis Monday. Recently, while shopping in HomeGoods I came across a wreath I have been hoping to make for a couple of years now. It all started when I saw this shell wreath online a couple of summers ago. I really wanted to make one since I have lots of nice, big … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: Beach Decor, DG Porches, Porch Decorating, Screened-in Porch, Shell Crafts, Shell Wreath, Spring summer wreath, Summer Decor, Summer Decorating, Summer Door Wreath, Summer House, Summer Porch

A Beautiful Mosaic Planter for the Front Porch

June 8, 2012 by Susan 38 Comments

Moving a blog is a lot like moving in real life. Do you remember the last time you moved? You know it's going to be a big job but you really don't know how big until you are in the thick of it. And while in the midst of it, you probably think to yourself, "I'll never do this again." Once you're all settled in your new home, you're happy you did it. I'm not quite to the happy stage, but I'm getting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Front Porch Decor, Mosaic Planter

IKEA Expedit: Sneaking a Peek Inside

May 22, 2012 by Susan 23 Comments

So many wonderful Before and Afters were shared for yesterday's Met Monday! I haven't made my way through all of them yet, but I the ones I have visited were fabulous! Yesterday I shared an update in the office...new buffalo check curtains. Thanks so much for all your wonderful, much appreciated comments on that post! You made my day! IKEA Expedit: Today I thought I'd take you into the office … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Expedit, IKEA

Buffalo Check Curtains for the Office

May 21, 2012 by Susan 105 Comments

Welcome to the 174th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings! Hope your weekend was great! I'm really excited about a change I made recently here in the office. Did you guess what it was from the hint I left a few days ago? Not long after I moved into this house twenty+ years ago, I purchased plantation shutters for all the windows. In hindsight, that was one of the best purchases I've ever made for my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Before and After, Buffalo Check Curtains, Craft Room, Curtains, DG Window Treatments, Draperies, Office/Study, Pottery Barn Bedford Office

File Sorter for the Office: Tools for Organization

May 18, 2012 by Susan 22 Comments

Recently, I asked your advice in choosing which size file organizer to use here in the office. Thanks so much to everyone who voted in the poll running on that previous post. You may remember from that post, a day or two after buying this 2-file organizer below, I stopped by another Marshalls... ...and found the same organizer in a taller version. With three slots, this one offered even more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Organization and Storage, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Before and After, Craft Room, Office/Study, Organization, Pottery Barn Bedford Office, Storage

Springtime Means Porch Time: Answers to Your Most FAQs

May 9, 2012 by Susan 47 Comments

Now that spring has arrived and I'm using and posting more about the porch and decks, I've been getting a good many questions about the porch lately regarding its construction and furniture, so today I'm posting some of the most frequently asked questions along with three new pics of the porch during construction. Hope you find this information helpful...here goes. Q. What size is … [Read more...]

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

Decorating for the Summer House

May 2, 2012 by Susan 42 Comments

A little beach themed vignette... It's time to celebrate summer! A shell-adorned hat to protect your peaches and cream complexion... A few books to inspire your summertime decor: Cottages by the Sea...The Handmade Homes of Carmel, Second Home...Finding Your Place in the Fun and Victoria At Home with White...Celebrating the Intimate Home. A guide to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: Decorating for Summer, Decorating with a Beach theme, Decorating with Shells, Seasonal Decor Updates

Office Updates & Shell Charger Progress

April 30, 2012 by Susan 58 Comments

Welcome to the 171st Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings! How was your weekend? What did you work on this weekend? Do anything fun? I have a couple of small little updates to share this week for Metamorphosis Monday. I decided to remove the TV from the office since I found I only turned it on a couple of times a month. You can see it in this older photo to the right of the wallpaper organizer, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: File Organizer, File Sorter, Party Barn Shell Chargers

A Garden Seat for the Porch

April 21, 2012 by Susan 24 Comments

When I last left you I had purchased this cute little garden seat for the screened-in porch. That was the plan. Well, you know what they say about "best laid plans." Once I brought it upstairs... And tried it out as a little side table for this reading corner in the guest room, I didn't want to take it away. I really, really liked how it looked here. So … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Guest Room), Before & After, Blue & White Design & Decor, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Ceramic Garden Seat, Ceramic Garden Stool, Porch Decor

Garden Seat, So Versatile for the Home or Garden

April 17, 2012 by Susan 33 Comments

As the years pass things wear out, my ideas for a room in my home may change, or I find something better for a space than what's currently there. Does that happen in your home, too? It gives us an opportunity to "freshen up" and revive our rooms, giving them new life. A while back, just for fun, I created a "wish list" board at Pinterest. It's a virtual pin board where I can store a picture or idea … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Guest Room), Blue & White Design & Decor, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Ceramic Garden Seats, Garden Stools

Wake Up the Porch & Decks for Spring

April 9, 2012 by Susan 53 Comments

Welcome to the 168th Metamorphosis Monday! Preparing the Porch and Decks for Spring: Cleaning and Planting At the start of this past winter, I decided to try something new. Instead of tossing the big geranium that lives all summer on the porch, and the three smaller ones visible behind this summer table setting below, I tucked them all away in my garage for the winter. Amazingly, they lived. They … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: Decks, Geraniums, Plants for the Deck and Porch, Porch, Screened-in Porch, Spring Cleaning on the Decks and Po, Spring Planting, wintering over geraniums

IKEA PJÄS Basket Closet Additions

March 12, 2012 by Susan 50 Comments

Welcome to the 164th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! Last Friday I met a friend for lunch in Atlanta. We lunched in a restaurant by the name of Osteria del Figo. I think most folks just call it, Figo Pasta. After lunch I headed over to IKEA. You may remember after my last visit to IKEA, the closet went from looking like this... ...to looking like this. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Closet organization and storage, IKEA Expedit, Pjas Baskets

IKEA Expedit Hack: How I Made It Work

March 9, 2012 by Susan 46 Comments

A few days ago I pulled a Houdini in the renovation of the office closet. Here's a view of the "Before" and "After" below. You can view this closet renovation project here: IKEA Expedit for Closet Storage. The Houdini part was getting an IKEA Expedit shelving unit, which measures 58 5/8 inches wide, into in a closet that is only about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wider than the Expedit itself. The closet … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Decorating, DIY Organization and Storage, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: IKEA Expedit, Office Closet

IKEA Expedit Closet Makeover

March 5, 2012 by Susan 106 Comments

Welcome to the 163rd Metamorphosis Monday! A while back I wrote about how on a recent visit to the Atlanta IKEA with a friend, I repeatedly decided and un-decided to buy an Expedit shelving unit. I really wanted to buy one for my office closet but there was one big problem. The Expedit measures 58 5/8 inches wide and my closet measures 57 1/2 inches wide and 47 1/2 inches deep. With the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Closet Storage and Organization, IKEA Expedit, Office Organization

Decorating for Valentine’s Day

February 13, 2012 by Susan 71 Comments

Welcome to the 160th Metamorphosis Monday! Valentine's Day is tomorrow. I love that holiday. How can you not love a day that's all about chocolate, romance and ♥ LOVE! ♥ It makes me smile when I remember bringing Valentine's Day cards to school. If I close my eyes, I can still see all the colorful construction-paper folders we made and decorated. They were strung along the wall … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Guest Room), Before & After, Blue & White Design & Decor, My Nest, Tablescapes Holiday Tablescapes, Tablescapes Occasion, Tea Party Tablescapes, The Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Decor, Valentine's Day Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Table Settings, Valentine's Day Tablescapes Tagged With: Blue and White Bedroom, Daffodils in White Pitcher, Decorating for Valentine's Day, Decorating Guest Room for Valentine's Day, guest room, Heart Garland, Valentine's Day Cookies, Valentine's Day Decorating Ideas, Valentine's Day Tablescapes, Valentine's Day Tea, Valentine's Garland

Pottery Barn Bedford Office Additions

January 23, 2012 by Susan 133 Comments

Welcome to the 157th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Metamorphosis Monday! Thank you for all the supportive comments and e-mails I received about changing the start of our Met Monday party to Monday morning and our Tablescape Thursday party to Thursday morning. You guys are awesome! I'm so excited to share some fun tweaks and additions I've made in the office this week. (You can follow the full … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: bedroom becomes home office, Before and After, Home office renovation, Metamorphosis Monday

Reforming My Faux Ways

January 6, 2012 by Susan 117 Comments

I've shared this view of my family room many times. Many, many, many years ago, when I put this room together, I seriously believed I needed something reallllly big over behind the burgundy wingback to balance the height of the armoire (which houses the TV) on the left. A nice, tall tree seemed just the answer. Not only would it provide the height I needed, it would add some much needed "greenery" to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest Tagged With: Artificial plants in the home, Family room update

The Upstairs Family Room Decorated for Christmas

December 26, 2011 by Susan 40 Comments

Welcome to the 153rd Metamorphosis Monday! Merry Christmas! I have just a quick "Before and After" to share for this Met Monday. I added a few holiday touches to the Upstairs Family Room this year and never got around to sharing those. As always, I hung a little wreath on the grandfather clock. This year the armoire got a bit of lit greenery and I moved the feather tree from its usual spot in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest, The Holiday Home Tagged With: Christmas Decorating, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs)

Kitchen Tweak: Updating my “It’s Complicated” Baking Center

November 21, 2011 by Susan 49 Comments

Welcome to the 148th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you've been having a fabulous weekend! Have you been shopping for groceries in preparation of Thanksgiving? The stores have all been packed when I've been in. I don't have a big "Before and After" to share for this Met Monday--it's more like a little tweak. Last week I shared a change I made in my kitchen in this post: Baking Center in movie, It's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, Movie Houses, My Nest, TV & Movie House Fun Tagged With: Baking Center for the kitchen, It's Complicated Baking Station

The Baking Center in the Movie, It’s Complicated

November 14, 2011 by Susan 77 Comments

Hope your day is going great! It's been gorgeous here...in the 70's, so I've been spending some time out of the porch enjoying the fall colors. I know the cold is coming so I'm trying to fully enjoy these last warm days of fall. A while back I posted a tour of the house in the movie, It's Complicated, starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. (That movie house tour is available … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, Movie Houses, My Nest, TV & Movie House Fun Tagged With: Baking Center, Baking Station, It's Complicated, Movie House Tours, Organization and Storage in the Kitchen, Storing Baking Products

Autumn Comes to the Porch

October 18, 2011 by Susan 74 Comments

I've been playing outside today, bringing a little fall to the porch. During the summer it looks something like this Because the porch is all white (for the most part) it's a blank slate for anything you can dream up. For the 4th of July, it looked like this. (4th of July porch can be viewed here: Porch Decorated For the 4th of July) It was time to add a little fall to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home Tagged With: A Fall Porch, Decorating for Autumn, Decorating for the Seasons, Porch Decorated for Autumn

Warming Up on the Porch

October 6, 2011 by Susan 55 Comments

Welcome the the 163rd Tablescape Thursday! Cool fall nights are perfect for hot chocolate out on the porch. Where would you like to sit? How about on the swing? There's a soft, warm blanket to keep you warm and a great book awaits. The late afternoon sun is so wonderful streaming in across the porch. The evening breeze carries the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fall Tablescapes, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, Halloween Table Settings, Halloween Tablescapes, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Tablescapes, Tables for Two, Tablescape Thursday, Tablescapes Holiday Tablescapes, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home Tagged With: autumn table setting, Autumn Table Settings, autumn tablescape, Decorating with Acorns, Fall Decorating, fall table setting, Fall Tablescape, Fall Tablescapes, Hot Chocolate on a Fall Porch, Porch Dining, Tablescape Thursday, Warming up the Porch for Winter

Hiding Ugly Scratches on Furniture

September 28, 2011 by Susan 32 Comments

Monday, I was playing with the mantel in the family room, creating a fall mantel seen here: Fall Mantel. I looked over and noticed a few scratches on the armoire in the corner. Do you see the little dents/scratches in this pic below? Over the years, this armoire has accumulated small scratches from everyday use. I thought I'd share a few products I've … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest Tagged With: Furniture Repair, Hide scratches on furniture, Minwax stain touch-up pens, Scratch Repair

A Fall Mantel for the Family Room

September 27, 2011 by Susan 63 Comments

While we're enjoying all the wonderful "before and afters" from yesterday's Met Monday, I thought I'd share another little metamorphosis I've been working on this week in my family room. (Update: This living room looks very different now. See the changes in these two posts: Reforming My Faux Ways and Velvet Drapes for an English Country Living Room) BEFORE: The coffee table looks so bare … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home Tagged With: Autumn Mantel, Decorating the Mantel for Autumn, Fall Mantel, Mantel Decorated with Books

Bamboo Rug for the Upstairs Family Room

September 19, 2011 by Susan 59 Comments

Welcome to the 139th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? I've had a fun one. A friend and I attended an auction, something I haven't done in ages. Didn't buy anything but I captured a few pics I'll being sharing later. Metamorphosis Monday: For this Met Monday, I'm sharing a small metamorphosis in my upstairs family room. This room is often known as a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: Antique Pine Furniture, Antique Swedish Furniture, Bamboo Mat, Bamboo Mat Rug, Bonus Room, English Script Bamboo Mat, Family Room, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs)

Billy Bookcase, Easy to Assemble

August 31, 2011 by Susan 44 Comments

Billy, where have you been all my life? I'm a latecomer to Billy bookcases but it turns out they have been around for 30+ years. The factory that produces the Billy bookshelf makes 15 Billys a minute. That's 3.1 million a year! Wow! After buying three of my own, I can see why they are so popular. They are sturdy, easy to assemble and reasonably priced. I shared my small (but growing) office … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Billy Bookcase Library for the Home Office, Billy Bookcases, Extension Shelf for Billy Bookcase, Glass Doors for Billy Bookcases, How to Assemble a Billy Bookcase, IKEA Billy Bookcase

IKEA Billy Bookcase & A Library for the Office

August 29, 2011 by Susan 92 Comments

Welcome to the 136th Metamorphosis Monday! If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you're very familiar with this view of my Office. I've shared this side of the room in previous posts, too. But, I've rarely shared this side because...well, there's just nothing to see. Pretty boring, right? Well, that's about to change! I've had big plans for this space all along; I just … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Bookshelves for the Home Office, IKEA, IKEA Billy Bookcases

Bottle Tree Dreams in Abundance

August 26, 2011 by Susan 48 Comments

When I last shared a few pics of my bottle tree, it was looking pretty puny. (If you're wondering what in tarnation a bottle tree is, check out this previous post: Bottle Tree: The Poor Man's Stained Glass I've been waiting for Hobby Lobby to have another "glass" sale. In the meantime, I've collected 3-4 more, via consumption. Plus, my BFF, Jan, dropped a couple by recently, too. I think she took … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Bottle Trees, Garden Accents, Southern Folklore, Southern Superstitions

Painting the Closets and Office Trim

August 24, 2011 by Susan 55 Comments

How's your week going? I've had so much fun reading the comments you left about your past excursions to IKEA. One tip I wanted to share about the best times to visit IKEA to avoid crowds: try to go on a week day, if possible. If you do need to go on a Saturday, get there early, as soon as they open, or late in the day like around 5:00 PM. I noticed it was a lot less crowded come evening/dinner … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Bigger Shelves for the Closet, Closet Renovation, Linen Closet, Office Closet, Painting Closets

Chaos, Progress and Mario Buatta

August 20, 2011 by Susan 37 Comments

Today my house is completely topsy turvy. If you rang my door bell and I invited you in, you'd be here for about 30 seconds before you would suddenly remember you had a pressing engagement elsewhere. And I wouldn't blame you, I'd run, too. But I live here. You know how something prays on your mind...something you've been putting off. The weekends are filled with friends and activities, places to go … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Closets & Pantries, My Nest Tagged With: Adding Bigger Shelves to Closet, Closet Renovation, Painting Closets

Pressure Washing the House and Porch

July 20, 2011 by Susan 20 Comments

On your last visit to the porch, it looked like this... All decorated for the 4th. Today it looks like this... And this. Stripped down...no cushions. The view out the breakfast window... The view from the office. So, that's what color the pergola really is. Clean and shiny! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Cleaning the Decks, Cleaning the Pergola, Cleaning the Porch, Pressure Washing

After the Party

July 5, 2011 by Susan 59 Comments

If this is your first visit to this blog, skip this post now...quickly, before you change your mind and never come back. ;) Pictures in this post may have you running away, never to return. Max had a big day yesterday. He partied hard, as you can see. In the spirit of keeping it real, (are you tired of that phrase yet?) here's how my kitchen looks today after running the dishwasher once and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY, Laundry Room Tagged With: After the Party