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Locker Built-Ins

May 5, 2017

Supplies Used:

4′ x 8′ Sheet of 3/4″ Plywood
(x2) 1 x 2 Common Pine Board
(x1) 1″ x 3″ Common Pine Board
wood glue

Tools Suggested:

Table Saw
Kreg Jig
Drill
Electric Sander
Sand Paper
16 ga. nailer (optional)

Cut List :

3/4″ Plywood

(x3) @ 32″ x 15.25″
(x2) @ 64.5″ x 15.25″

1×2 Common Pine Board (actual dimensions 3/4″x 1.5″)

(x2) @ 64.5″
(x1) @ 32″

1 x 3 Common Pine Board (Actual Dimensions 3/4″ x 2.5″ )

(x2) @ 32″

Step 1. Construct Carcass

Step 2. Build Face Frame

Step 3. Attach Face Frame

You can attach the face frame 1 of 2 ways. You can utilize a Pocket Hole Jig and place pocket holes on the interior of the 15.25″x 64.5″ plywood. OR you can do what I did and apply wood glue to the face of the carcass (base) and then attach the face frame using finish nails and clamping.

Step 4. Finish

Before applying paint and/or stain I gave it a quick once over with sand paper before applying paint. This will help create a nice smooth finish.

Step 6. Insert Lockers

I ordered (x2) lockers from HomeDepot.com, they come in several colors. I opted for red, and I love them! They serve as great HIDDEN storage. My favorite kind!

Home Gym Makeover Part:1

May 2, 2017

Hey all! So, question. Do any of you have a room that always gets overlooked? You know the one. You get the room to a state that you can live with, and then move on? I DO! Actually, if I am being completely honest I have several of them…BUT soon there will be one less on the docket! Why? BECAUSE I am giving my Home Gym a Makeover! Disclaimer: When I say “Home Gym” I mean that in the loosest sense of the word. In all reality it is a room that houses my treadmill and a T.V. None the less, I do spend a decent amount of time in there, and the blandness of it is driving me crazy! Time to change that, I have goals to make it a much more inviting, and I am excited to get started and share the process with all of you!

So before we dive in, I want to give you a little info about how this is going down. I am teaming up with the great folks over at Frogtape® and 6 other talented bloggers to bring you The PaintOver Challenge®! Each of the 6 different bloggers (myself included) will be given a $1,000 budget and different design style in which we will channel to decorate our spaces. I will be rocking the “Haute Homemade” style! So let me show you the space I will be working with, and then I will give you a small glimpse into what I am concocting!

Alright, here it is Folks, my “gym” as it currently stands. When we first moved into the house a year ago it was baby blue… think Crayola “Sky Blue”. It was, uh, it was very, very baby blue. So I painted it a color I could stand, and moved on. That is until NOW!

Home Gym Makeover: Part 1
I know it’s not horrible or anything, but it is a far stretch from great. But as I openly admit, I can NEVER leave well enough alone.

So, I want to give you a sneak peak into my vision for this space. As I said, I received “Haute Homemade” as my style trend. What is “Haute Homemade” you might ask? Well, it’s all about making it your own! It’s taking flea market finds and making it fit with your own style. It’s creating and personalizing pieces that are unique to you and your space. As designer Taniya Nayak says “this trend makes crafting hot again.” and believe me, I will have plenty of crafts in my future.

My plans definitely include a lot of customized pieces, unique finds, vintage refreshes, and a whole lot of personalized touches. All the fun is about to get started… and it is going to require not 1 but 6 different colors! Make sure you stay tuned, because it is about to get CRAZY up in here.

Make sure you are following along on Instagram and Facebook, for sneak peaks along the way! I will be checking back in with a progress report in a week so stay tuned!

In the meantime, you can read all about it and see the other bloggers projects….here.

Take Luck,

Corey

This post and room make-over are sponsored by Frog Tape. Please see my disclosure page for more information.

Easter Tablescape

March 31, 2017

Hey all! It’s that time again! Time to dress up the Easter tablescape and “Wow” your Easter guests. Or in my case admire it for a few days, until reality sets in and you run out of paper plates and the kids start to ask if we are always going to eat dinner on the kitchen floor.

I kid, I kid. Haha, I let them sit at the counter. But in all seriousness, if you are entertaining this Easter or you simply want to take your Easter Dinner up a notch this is a fun DIY project you are gonna love! Enjoy and Happy Easter!

Easter Tablescape – The Centerpiece

Let’s start the centerpiece. Instead of using the usual table runner, I decided to build a long rustic basket. (There will be plans coming soon, but in the meantime you can see the original farmhouse try I modified HERE.)

If you love the chippy paint effect, you can find the full TUTORIAL HERE.

Easter Tablescape – The Pots

As for the pots sitting in the tray, they are your basic run of the mill Terra Cotta pots! These are super cheap and easy to find, I think I spent right around $15- $20 on all of them. I wanted them to not be so ORANGE so I gave them a little face lift. I used this limewash glaze, it really does create a cool texture, but if you don’t care about the texture you can dry brush white paint on with a stiff bristled brush and still achieve the same effect. I decided I LOVE the stacked look of these posts, so I used some spanish moss to separate them and to add some gorgeous texture. You can purchase a bag of moss for $3.50 at Walmart.

Easter Tablescape – Tulips

I then added copious amounts of tulips to get that gorgeous Magnolia Market/Spring feel. Now, I wish these were real, or the amazingly real-like fake ones. However, when I was playing around with them at Michael’s I decided that when they were in large groups they actually looked pretty convincing! Bonus: when they are on sale you can get them for about $2.50 a bushel. In this tablescape I used 15. Honestly, I love them and would have bought more, but I cleaned them out!

I wanted to do something original and CHEAP for the name placement cards… I had picked up these fake Easter Eggs for the kids to paint from Walmart. ($2 for a dozen) Watching them paint them gave me an idea, (and an eye twitch). So instead of watching them mix colors to create a “beautiful!” brown concoction, I grabbed some paint of my own. I used gray paint and watered it down until I could create the same effect as a water color. Once the paint was dry I used a black brush tip marker to write our names in a sloppy calligraphy. (If you want to try this it is easier than it looks! Just write in cursive and make the downward strokes thick, and the upward strokes light. Impress EVERYONE!)

I then placed them in these little mini pots! You can get them from Walmart for $.38! I then used the leftover limewash from the larger pots to give them the aged look. Let’s break it down, that means that one placement holder is only $.54 ! So to make all 6 was approximately $3.50 . Not bad!

I tried a couple of the standard napkin rings, but it made the napkin way to gathered, but it definitely needed SOMETHING. So, I threw together these oversize napkin rings. Best part, they are cheap! You can get the wire for $1, and floral tape for $1, and I purchased this bunch of greenery for $3 when it was on sale at Hobby Lobby!

Ta-Da! A gorgeous non-traditional napkin ring.

And there you have it folks, my take on this years Easter table.

(Let’s be real, it probably won’t make it to Easter, but one can hope/pretend.)

Take Luck,

Corey

Rustic Wall Cubby

March 28, 2017

One fateful day I was out doing what I do best, browsing Target whilst sipping a Starbucks, naturally. (By the way, if you have never tried a “Double Chocolate-y Chip Frappuccino with Caramel Drizzle on the inside of the cup” You should, because it will blow your mind while simultaneously making you gain 2.6 lbs. It’s magic like that.) I digress. I was walking through Target (with my Starbucks) and I stumbled upon the cutest rustic wall cubby! It was adorable and could instantly add character to any random assortment of knick knacks! The issue? I nearly inhaled a chocolate chip when I saw that this little guy was $50. So after I dislodged the said chocolate chip I made my way to Home Depot where I purchased all the supplies I would need to make my own for a mere $12. #winning

Target Rustic Wall Cubby

Materials Used:

1″x 4″ Boards (2)
1″x 2″ Boards (1)
Stain
Number Plaques (if desired)
Metal Hanger Straps
D-Ring picture hangers
Wood Glue
Wood Filler
1/2″ Screws
1 1/2″ Nails

Tools Suggested :

Miter Saw
Nail Gun
Drill
Tin Snips
Large Clamp

Cut List :

1″x 4″ Board

(2) @ 21″
(2) @ 22 1/2″
(6) @ 7″
(2) @ 19 1/2″

1″x 2″ OR 1/2″x 2″

(3) @ 21″

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Step 1. Assemble Frame – Rustic Wall Cubby

Secure 22 1/2″ vertical boards to the inside of the 21″ horizontal boards. For best results use wood glue and reinforce with 1 1/2″ finish nails. Allow to dry.

Step 2. Construct Grid – Rustic Wall Cubby

Assemble the grid. There really isn’t a right or wrong way to do this. You can use pocket holes, but I opted not to on this project. It is a small build and wood glue would suffice. I first attached the (2) 7″ vertical boards to the 19 1/2″ horizontal board, I used wood glue and then reinforced with 1 1/2″ finish nails. Repeat, so that you have (2) of these. With the remaining (2) 7″ boards, I applied wood glue to either end, properly placed then in between the (2) 19 1/2″ boards, and then clamped to complete the grid. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Step 3. Insert Grid – Rustic Wall Cubby

Once the grid is dried, place it inside of the already assembled frame. Measure to ensure it lines up correctly and then use a finish nail to secure.

Step 4. Attach Front Lip – Rustic Wall Cubby

Next apply a small bead of wood glue to the front of the 19 1/2″ horizontal boards, and then place the 1″x 2″x 21″ boards on top, so the bottom of the board is flush with with bottom of the shelves. Then reinforce with 1 1/2″ finish nails.

Step 5. Add Finish – Rustic Wall Cubby

Fill in any nail holes with a wood filler. Allow it to dry . Then sand off the excess filler. NOW you are ready for paint and/or stain. I stained this Dark Walnut by Minwax. After it was dry, I did go over it will a sander to distress it.

Step 6. Add Metal Hanger Straps – Rustic Wall Cubby

Before I added my metal straps, I cut my three pieces, and (while wearing gloves) straightened out the metal straps. (The straps come in a coil and naturally want to curl.) After working with it for a few minutes, it laid flat. I then dusted it lightly with “Flat Iron” Rustoleum spray paint. After the straps were dry, I LIGHTLY sanded it so that it would have some distressing. To attached I used small 1/2″ screws. I placed the screws where my number plaques would be placed so that they would be hidden. I made sure to make the metal wrap around the back of the cubby unit.

Step 7. Finishing Touches – Rustic Wall Cubby

Next I added the number plaques! I found these really cute number plaques at Joanns. They are originally $8, but I used a 50% off coupon and scored them for $4. Nice. I simply attached them with construction adhesive. (Hot Glue would work fine.)

If you decide that you want to hang this on the wall there is a really cheap way to do it! I used small little d-rings that you can get for about $1! Attach them and you are good to go!

Ok, so lets break it down…

1″x 4″ Boards (2) =$4
1″x 2″ Boards (1)=$1
Number Plaques =$4
Metal Hanger Straps= $3
Stain and/paint =Will vary. I used some leftover materials. This project will not require much of either.

Total = $12 DIY vs. Target $49.99

Not too shabby!

How to: Layered Chippy Paint

March 9, 2017

One fateful day I was browsing the isles of Hobby Lobby, and I came across an adorable little terrarium of sorts. Don’t get me wrong the whole thing was cute, but the layered chippy paint finish stopped me in my DIY lovin’ tracks! So, I did what any DIY’er would do. I snapped a picture and decided I would try and create something similar… fast forward 1.5 years and I finally did it! I figured out how to create the layered chippy paint look!

Layered Chippy Paint Finish

SUPPLY LIST:

Stain ( I used a 1:1 ratio of Jacobean/Weathered Oak)
(2) Colors of paint ( I used White and Blue-Grey Slate by Behr)
Candle or Wax
Wood/Project

TOOLS RECOMMENDED:

Metal Putty Knife
Sander

Step 1: Stain

Begin my staining in your choice of stain color. I used a 1:1 ratio of Jacobean and Weathered Oak by Minwax.

Step 2: Wax & Paint

Once the stain is completely dry we are ready to begin the distressing. BEFORE you start painting, you will need to rub a piece of wax/candle over various parts of the board. The idea is, is that the paint will not stick to the areas where the wax is applied. At this point we are ready for paint. I wanted a nice deep gray blue, so I used a sample size of Behr Grey-Blue Slate. There is no need to make this a smooth even coat. I actually used a stiff bristled brush to make it appear streaky. ( Please reference the video at the bottom of the post for more clarification.)

Step 3: Scrape

Once the paint is completely dry we are ready to scrape the board. I used a metal putty knife and it worked like a charm. It should easily take off the paint wherever wax was applied earlier.

Step 4: Wax and Paint

Seeing as this is a layered chippy pain look, we will repeat the same steps again, only using a different color. I opted for white. Again, before painting I rubbed a little bit of wax in various parts so that some of both the stained wood and the blue paint would show through.

Step 5: Scrape and Sand

Once the second layer of paint is dried, you will again scrape the excess paint off. Once all the loose paint is removed I like to give it a once over with a sander and give it a nice worn look.

That is pretty much all there is to it! I am in love with this new finish, and can’t wait to try it out with more color variations!

Take Luck,

Corey

DIY Farmhouse Tray

February 23, 2017

Hey Friends, does anyone else feel like Spring is in the air ? (Granted it is only February but I live in Florida, so I get a pass.) Anyways, as I was saying… Spring. I was pulling out my decor and was looking at my poor misshapen metal tray that typically sits on my coffee table. For the past few seasons I have told myself that it just adds “character” to it… and what I really mean by that is my two little characters happened to it. That poor tray has been used an “umbrella” in a rain storm, a “shield” in nerf wars, dragon wars, lego wars… let’s just say it has seen a lot of battles. And let’s not forget the time they attempted to use it as a “sled” on the stairs. (That was a little terrifying.) So, I have decided to retire the old tray and it will now exist in whatever make believe capacity my kids can create in their toy room. It will no longer be the central focus of the room. RIP old boy. But it’s not all sad news, it means that I got to create a new central focus for my table. So I submit to you my new DIY Farmhouse Tray. Ta-DA!

So let’s do this shall we ?

DIY Farmhouse Tray

SUPPLY LIST:

1″x 4″ Standard Board
1″x 3″ Standard Board
1″x 2″ Standard Board
5/8″ Dowel Rod
Sand Paper
Stain and/or Paint

TOOLS RECOMMENDED:

Miter Saw
Finish Nailer & 1 1/2″ nails
5/8″ Forstner Bit

CUT LIST:

Cut from 1″x 3″ Board

(x2) @ 18″
(x2) @ 11 “

Cut from 1″ x 4″ Board

(x3) @ 16 1/2″

Cut from 1″ x 2″ Board

(x2) @ 12″

Dowel Rod @ 19 1/2″

STEP 1: DIY Farmhouse Tray Frame

First construct the frame. I add a small amount of wood glue to the joints, and then reinforce with a 1 1/2″ 18 gauge nails.

STEP 2: Slats

Next add the center slats. Again, add a dab of glue or hell if you are a risk taker go ahead and skip this step… (But seeing as already divulged the gauntlet my kids put the last tray through I would strongly suggest it.) After you have glued, or not glued, whatevs, I would reinforce with nails.

STEP 3: Handle

Next up the handle. On the side handles ( 1″x 2″ boards) you will need to drill a hole to accommodate your dowel rod handle. I used a 5/8′ forstner bit to drill mine. I place the hole approximately 1-1/2″ down from the top of the handle and centered it. Once the holes are drilled finesse the dowel rod into both of the side handles on each end. (Again I would suggest a dab of wood glue.) Once the handle is assembled attached it centered on the previously assembled tray.

Then you know the drill, glue, and reinforce.

STEP 4: Finish

The finish featured on my tray is 2 coats of Weather Oak by Minwax. After I lightly distressed and then dry brushed on Miss Mustard Seed’s White Wax. It gave it a used, but not dingy feel, and I love it !

There you have it folks a quick and easy build that is seriously stunning, and so fun to style!

Take Luck,

Corey

P.S. Don’t forget to “Pin It” for later!

Blog

Supplies Used:

Tools Suggested:

Cut List :

Easter Tablescape – The Centerpiece

Easter Tablescape – The Pots

Easter Tablescape – Tulips

Target Rustic Wall Cubby

Materials Used:

Tools Suggested :

Cut List :

Step 1. Assemble Frame – Rustic Wall Cubby

Step 2. Construct Grid – Rustic Wall Cubby

Step 3. Insert Grid – Rustic Wall Cubby

Step 4. Attach Front Lip – Rustic Wall Cubby

Step 5. Add Finish – Rustic Wall Cubby

Step 6. Add Metal Hanger Straps – Rustic Wall Cubby

Step 7. Finishing Touches – Rustic Wall Cubby

Total = $12 DIY vs. Target $49.99

Layered Chippy Paint Finish

SUPPLY LIST:

TOOLS RECOMMENDED:

Step 1: Stain

Step 2: Wax & Paint

Step 3: Scrape

Step 4: Wax and Paint

Step 5: Scrape and Sand

DIY Farmhouse Tray

SUPPLY LIST:

TOOLS RECOMMENDED:

CUT LIST:

STEP 1: DIY Farmhouse Tray Frame

STEP 2: Slats

STEP 3: Handle

STEP 4: Finish

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