Tag: sponsored

My Son’s Finished Room

This post is sponsored by Dutch Boy^® Paints.

Red and light blue — those were the only parameters I was given by my six-year-old. You got it, kid!

I approach kids’ rooms a little differently than I do the other spaces in a home. If it’s important to a child to incorporate their favorite color, there are ways to make it work. August had been adamant about red walls for a long time, and I was ready to go with it. I let him know that if and when he wanted to change his room, I would help him (read: do it for him). I had a plan in place, but then he started talking about light blue! I made a couple of mockups with different wall colors to show him, and blue won — with plenty of red incorporated elsewhere.

This was pretty early on in the process, so obviously some of those choices weren’t finalized and have changed. And I’m still into that black and white buffalo check, but August picked his fun colorful curtains when we were out together. Still totally cute, and I like encouraging my kids when they take an interest in their surroundings. (Someday they will probably learn to exploit this.)

The entire shell of the room was painted, except the floor.

The ceiling had a few repaired patches from when we rewired, so it got a fresh coat of Dutch Boy^® Platinum Plus Ceiling Interior Paint + Primer in Brightened Cream (005W), flat finish. I used the same color for the wood trim, but used Dutch Boy^® Dura Clean^™ Cabinet, Door, & Trim paint. I also used this product for the doors in Dutch Boy’s Authentic Black (437-7DB).

A quick reminder of the green walls and unpainted fir ‘before’ situation.

I cut in with a Purdy ClearCut Glide angled brush and rolled the walls with Purdy’s White Dove 9″ x 3/8″ roller cover. Someone had asked me for tips on painting behind a radiator without removing it. I say tape off as well as you can, use a mini roller, hope for the best, and don’t examine it too closely!

I knew the walls would be “light blue” per August’s request, but I waited to choose the exact shade until after we had picked up the bedding. I found a linen duvet cover that IKEA is calling green but that I am calling slate blue, and I chose the wall color to complement it — Dutch Boy Frosted Olive (425-2DB). I again used Dutch Boy^® Platinum Plus Interior Paint + Primer in a flat finish. It has Stain-Shield Technology that allows stains to be easily wiped away, which is great for a kid’s room. I used it in our pink guest room recently too, and it’s a great paint priced around $35/gallon.

The walls are lovely, and the black door plus white trim combo gets me every time. That and the life-sized Boba Fett wall decal, of course.

Kids often go for the really saturated, crayon-bright version of a color when you let them choose. If they want red, they want red! Blue is blue! Those vivid hues are great for a piece of furniture or in accessories, but could be overwhelming on the walls. I prefer a more muted color, and I love the way Dutch Boy has organized theirs. The color numbers that start with a ‘1’ are bright, ‘2’ is mid-tone, ‘3’ is muted, and ‘4’ is neutral. I wouldn’t consider any of the colors starting with ‘1’ for the walls — they’d be far too intense for my taste! The one I chose, Frosted Olive (425-2DB) is the perfect shifting blue/green/gray I was aiming for. Very subtle, very pretty.

And why did I pick green when I wanted light blue? The color is on the spectrum where green and blue meet, and the room is north-facing and fairly close to the neighbors. This is not a space that’s flooded in bright sunlight, and northern light reads cooler (making everything look a little bluer). On the opposite side of the house, the “olive” in the name would definitely be more apparent.

The room is about 10×10′ and has the entrance door with transom, closet door, radiator, large windows, and an angled wall to work around. August likes to build and play with LEGO models (could you tell?), so I wanted to keep his red desk in there. I had arranged the room before with the bed centered on the windows, perpendicular, with the desk in the corner. I’ve always liked the idea of a desk or dresser backed up against a bed floated in the middle of the room, but there isn’t enough space to pull it off here. I came up with this somewhat unconventional version of that layout, and it works. The desk functions like a partners desk now, with one kid sitting in the chair and another (or two) at the foot of the bed.

The wall behind has four wall-mounted shelves arranged in a grid (one with a mirrored back and three with double shelves) for display. Excellent for keeping certain models out of a little brother’s reach.

I wasn’t going for a theme room, but the kid has his preferences! Star Wars, LEGOs, superheroes, and video games. His toys are a major part of the decor.

A red upholstered bed brings in more of August’s favorite color. We picked up an embroidered pillow in a print that matches the curtains, cute white sheets with triangles, and the green (blue) linen duvet set. We’ve had that little ‘a’ pillow for years, and we have other bedding that can be mixed and matched in and still go with the room. An adjustable stool that I grabbed from another room is standing in as a nightstand with a floor lamp beside it. I added a plug-in dimmer switch and looped it up to be within reach from the bed.

The dresser holds all of August’s clothes, freeing up the closet for toy storage. We also have some of the bulky sets behind doors in these old bookshelves we took with us from the last house. It’s a great mix of open and closed storage that keeps the room from feeling too cluttered. The books and toys are all super colorful (and not always neat, day to day), but the subtle paint color keeps it visually calm. The pair of red lamps bring more of that favorite color in, and I like the layered effect of the framed prints behind, suspended from the picture rail.

I took care to get my son’s opinions throughout the process of redoing his room. I incorporated the color scheme he wanted in a way that works within the larger context of our home. We set up areas for the way he likes to play — a large, open area in the middle to spread out, and a desk for detail-oriented work. His favorite toys are prominently displayed, and the art is guided by his interests. I want my kids to feel like their rooms are a reflection of themselves! He loves it, and what’s wonderful is that it makes me just as happy.

August 22, 2017
The Guest Room, Painted Pink

This post is sponsored by Dutch Boy^® Paints.

Why did I hesitate to paint the guest room anything other than pink?

The walls were white when we moved in, and they were fine. Unobtrusive and neutral, but kind of boring. When I finished selecting the furniture working on the room’s and layout, the walls were still white and I thought, hey, this would be a fun opportunity to go really bold with the color! I tried a rich, deep teal. It was a pretty color, but so clearly wrong for the space. I thought about going in a different direction, skim coating the walls and putting up wallpaper, but this was just supposed to be a quick project! I knew repainting was in my future.

I had resisted pink because it’s so often my go-to and I wanted to try something different. But in this case, pink truly was a great choice for the room. Lovely and soft, but still a noticeable color. I used the new Dutch Boy^® Platinum Plus Interior Paint + Primer formula in Peachy-Keen (306-2DB). It turned out awesome! Here’s a shot after I did the cutting in and just before rolling the walls.

I like a flat finish for walls, and this paint has primer built-in. It covered in just one coat even over the dark color. Dutch Boy Paint’s new Platinum Plus formula with Stain-Shield Technology is durable and easy to clean, and it’s a great price at around $35/gallon.

Most of the furniture is the same as it was when I first showed the guest room A few months ago. I moved the bench to the foot of the bed and turned the dresser, but I kept the teal chair and side table where they were, and it’s the same bed (which fits the space so perfectly). The big difference is that I got rid of the single nightstand and brought in a matching vintage pair. I painted them black, using the same paint I used on the doors: Dutch Boy^® Dura Clean^™ Cabinet, Door, & Trim in Authentic Black (437-7DB).

I like to mix sets so that the nightstand(s) and dresser aren’t perfectly matching, and I think every room benefits from interesting vintage pieces or antiques. I’m proud of how this room is turning out, but the matchy-matchy definitely was a little more ‘catalog’ than I personally like for my home. The dresser stayed, but was rotated and put on the adjacent wall.

I’m very into the black nightstands and the contrast they add. I don’t always go for symmetry, but a room with the bed centered like this makes perfect sense for this space.

That peachy pink is so good in the room. The new wall color even made the existing carpet look better! It’s low on the list of priorities to replace, and I think the white walls called more attention to it. Now it’s the subtle flooring backdrop it should be.

The bedding stayed the same too. I added a pom pom bedskirt that’s super cute, but I kept the white sheets, duvet cover with subtle embroidery, and statement pillow. That pillow totally makes the bed, and now the wall color plays up those pink tones.

I’m thinking I’ll probably do something fun with the window in the future, but now that the wall color is right, it doesn’t feel nearly as pressing. And pink! You know I’m always down for more pink. This Peachy-Keen is perfect for a room with interesting angles and not a whole lot of natural light.

Room by room, this house is getting closer to my overall vision for it. This was such an easy change too, mostly just the paint! It was pretty before, but now it feels so warm and personal. Not bad for a gallon of paint and a day’s work.

July 18, 2017
The Snug

This post is sponsored by Overstock.

Someone had referred to our wallpapered back room as a ‘snug’ in the comments — the English term for “a sort of cozy, small room for reading or watching TV,” as they had put it. I like it! This is our snug.

The shell of the room (read: white carpeting and wallpapered walls) remains as it was when we bought the house. We kind of ignored this space for a long time, a luxury afforded to us by the rambling nature of our funny old Victorian. We have the larger tandem room off of our bedroom with our TV, and tablets make it possible to stream a show anywhere, so we didn’t bother with a television on the first floor for the first few years. We use the double parlor for reading, coloring and drawing, for playing games, making music, and entertaining. I feel like the second you put a show on, the kids are all drawn to it, and there go any other activities! I have to admit though, it is nice to be able to have the kids watch something nearby at times while we’re busy, and there’s less fighting when it’s on a TV vs. a handheld tablet.

The back room sort of feels like a modern house’s family room, tucked away at the back of the house behind the kitchen, except ours is much smaller and definitely not modern. I was eager to get moving on this quickly because as one of the few rooms here with air conditioning, it’s kind of our retreat from the heat. Rather than fight the wallpaper, I embraced it and looked for more traditional pieces.

Overstock has an amazing selection in tons of styles, making it easy to get your home ready for the summer at affordable prices. I had a couple of things in the room already that would be staying, so I started by looking for a great media center. Those apothecary drawer fronts on the TV stand are nice, right? Total fakes! The two on the very left to open to small drawers, but the rest are actually door fronts that open to reveal a shelf inside.

There’s more storage along the wall with a couple of our old bookcases. Doors keep everything out of sight, so we can fill them with the kids’ toys, or more movie and game storage for Brandon. I added a couple of granny-ish lamps on top, and I’m kind of into the effect with the cabbage rose wallpaper.

A large round mirror above turns this area into the room’s focal point. The finish on the frame is more of a mix of gold and silver than I had expected, but the depth is really pretty. And since this is a room for relaxing and vegging out a little (not worrying about your vanity), I like that it’s a convex mirror! It distorts the reflection just enough that you aren’t compelled to check yourself out in it as you enter to sit down.

The room is definitely small (snug!), so I chose armless slipper chairs to bring in a little more seating. I also brought in a vintage brass table, grabbed from another room, and a ceramic garden stool to give us a place to set down a drink or some snacks. I also hung a favorite old print of mine (non, je ne regrette rien) in a black frame to better stand out against the floral paper.

I brought in tons of pillows, mostly stolen from other rooms plus one new one with a pretty texture. The daybed cover fits so nicely and gives it a more tailored look, but I think that if I have one regret about the room it’s that none of the seating has arms. I still stand by my choice of armless slipper chairs because of the layout; it’s the antique daybed I’d replace.

This is one of the only rooms that ever gets truly cool when it’s hot out! Our house is heated by radiators, so adding central air is a much trickier and more expensive project than in a house with existing ductwork. The window unit is a bit of an eyesore, but when it’s 90 degrees inside and out, we definitely appreciate having it. Placing the daybed in front of that window isn’t ideal, but it’s not so terrible either.

A perfect little snug. I’m so excited to have this extra living space to a point where we’re finally happy with it! It was silly to ignore it for as long as we had.

July 12, 2017
Better Sleep (and a Giveaway!)

This post is sponsored by Sleep Number^®.

I’m a more patient mom with enough sleep. A more creative designer, a better partner, a better everything. For me, getting enough rest means not pushing myself to stay up and do one more thing because if I can just get myself into bed at a reasonable time, I can usually fall asleep pretty easily. If you’re someone that has a harder time of it though (like my better half), Sleep Number has some great tips for better sleep.

We’re loving our new mattress, and I’m pretty into checking the SleepIQ^™ feedback that the bed provides. I knew from talking to Brandon that he doesn’t sleep as soundly as I do, but look at the difference in our data. And this is a big improvement for him! He used to get even less rest before.

Those numbers are from a few weeks ago, and it’s cool to see in the app how they’ve improved and changed over time. Brandon’s paying attention to his patterns and implementing some helpful sleep solutions, using that information to find better sleep.

I was thinking about it and I realized that we’re opposites with other furniture too. I love our teal couch in the living room because it’s deep and the cushions are so soft. He prefers much more firm seating, like our beige armchairs or the black and white sofa in the library. Having a mattress that adjusts on each side has been really great for us! I keep my side at 40 and he’s most comfortable at 65 — a big difference. It’s a fantastic bed for couples, and they can tailor the right solution for you in store.

Giveaway

We’re sleeping well on our Sleep Number mattress, and I’m thrilled to offer up a chance for one of you to do the same! One Making it Lovely reader will win the awesome prize of a queen sized Sleep Number p5 mattress. You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget below.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to eligible legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C. at least the age of majority in their jurisdiction. Begins: July 10, 2017 at 10:00:00 AM ET. Ends: July 20, 2017 at 9:59:59 AM ET. Subject to Official Rules available at http://mediakix.com/sweepstakes-makingitlovely/. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Mediakix LLC.

July 10, 2017
The Wallpapered Back Room
This post is sponsored by Overstock.com. Celebrate big savings on a huge assortment of items for your home during Overstock.com’s Independence Day Sale, now through July 10th!

I’ve been working on a few rooms lately (yay!), one of them being the former sleeping porch behind the kitchen.

We’ve never made good use of the room. I initially thought it would be my office, but when that didn’t work out it served as a catchall, taking the overflow from the rest of the house. Maybe a year or so ago we added a little TV and rearranged things a bit, but we didn’t put much effort into making it look good. As I took over the former playroom for my office, I thought I would relocate all of the toys downstairs, but aside from the play kitchen (which is in the library right now), everything just ended up in the kids’ rooms.

The room is small and has its quirks/annoyances. (If we’re ever able to do a massive renovation of the kitchen, this room would become part of that project, but we can’t do it right now so I’m working with what we’ve got.) Rather than make another playroom my kids may or may not really use, I’m keeping it as more of a family room. There will still be space for the kids and their toys, but it is nice to have a TV on the first floor since our main television is upstairs. An antique daybed serves as our sofa, and I’m working with Overstock.com to bring in some more pieces to make the space more functional.

Here’s the plan.
1. pink lamp
2. convex mirror
3. cabbage rose wallpaper
4. antique daybed with daybed cover
5. cream pillow
6. pink pillow
7. ceramic garden stool
8. TV console
9. slipper chair
10. white carpeting
Yep, that cabbage rose wallpaper is staying. I think I can make it work!
June 30, 2017
Pullman and the South Side Soapbox

This post is sponsored by method.

I had visited the headquarters of method in San Francisco years ago and gotten to know the company then, so it was fantastic to see the manufacturing side of the business right here in Chicago. A lot of people don’t realize that method is a green company — the colorful packaging doesn’t fit with what you might expect! They are indeed though, and their ‘South Side Soapbox’ is a Platinum LEED certified factory (one of only two in the US), reflecting their commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability.

Method was considering a handful of other cities, but Pullman residents swayed them and Chicago won. It was the first new factory built on the south side in 30 years, and it’s ideally situated to take advantage of rail distribution. Not only did they bring new jobs to the community, prioritizing new hires from the surrounding five zip codes, the revitalized the site which was previously unusable Brownfield land. They cleaned up and remediated the soil, they are generating their own power, capturing and returning water at the same rate it’s used, and dedicating much of their land to native plantings and marsh. The building is also a factory below, and a greenhouse above.

The roof is home to a 75,000 sq. ft. rooftop garden managed by Gotham Greens. The produce is grown in the greenhouse with hydroponics, and then distributed locally. Chef Dylan Lipe used Gotham Greens for our dinner at Argus Brewery. (It was so good!)

After touring the factory, we went out to explore the surrounding area.

Exploring Chicago’s Historic Pullman Neighborhood

Pullman has long been designated a state and local landmark, but it became a national park a few years back. I shared the news here when it was announced, but somehow I hadn’t found my way down there in the time since. I was eager to check it out, and of course, I’m kicking myself for not doing so sooner.

We started off with an art tour led by local artist JB Daniel. He explained that while the front facades are historical, residents can (and do) express themselves in the alleyways and the rear of their properties.

The central arcade is flanked by curved colonnaded apartment buildings, but unfortunately the centerpiece, the arcade, was destroyed by fire many years back. Sitting proudly in the center now is what was supposed to be a temporary sculpture by Matthew Hoffman, but it’s still standing three years later. Because it’s awesome.

Go for it.

We had lunch at The Pullman Cafe, then continued on with a tour of the architecture and a stop in the tourist center. I loved the historical photos and paintings. (And I don’t know why it surprised me to see a uniformed national parks employee inside! A reminder that this is more than just another Chicago neighborhood.)

The Greenstone Church lives up to its name. That stone unfortunately is not entirely well-suited to its purpose and is delaminating, but they didn’t know that when selecting materials at the time.

The neighborhood was conceived of by George M. Pullman, President of Pullman’s Palace Car Company. The industrial town was built, starting in 1880, to house his workers. The idea was that this would be such a wonderful place to live, his workers would be happier and more fulfilled, and thus more productive. They were able to rent apartments at a variety of price points, depending on their needs and wants. The more affordable housing was built of common brick.

The most beautiful buildings in Pullman were constructed of face brick, including the Hotel Florence which is awaiting restoration.

The area was nearly demolished in the sixties, but residents recognized its unique value and they rallied to save it. It has since enjoyed landmark status, and there are various incentives and programs in place to preserve the buildings. Today, it’s one of the most diverse areas in Chicago. A living neighborhood as national park.

I left feeling inspired, and more dedicated to saving what’s dear to us.

We’ve been aware of method as a green option for cleaning for a long time now, and that’s an important distinction, but in thinking about other areas of our life I know I’m not as well educated about food as I can be. The idea of buying locally grown produce makes so much sense (yes I’m late to the party), and I think seeing how physical goods like method’s soap can be distributed in a more sustainable way drove that point home. We have a food co-op in town that prioritizes food from local growers and producers, so we really have no excuse not to seek out more sustainable choices! We also have a fantastic farmer’s market that I think we need to treat more as our first stop for groceries rather than a supplementary source. No more buying tomatoes from faraway on a Thursday when I know I’ll be able to get them locally on the weekend.

I left the method factory tour feeling encouraged to make a difference by being more mindful of what products we buy, whether it’s for the home, for our bodies, or the food we eat.

June 28, 2017