Fan-tastic!

It wasn't until we put in our new chandelier in the kitchen last year (seen here) that I realized what a huge difference a new fixture makes.  This house not only came with builders grade fixtures, but some rather ugly ones at that!
This was the fan in our office.

 Not the worst thing in the world but definitely not our style.  So when my sister in law said she was finishing up at a lighting expo (or whatever its called that she travels and does as a part of her job with Emerson) and wanted to know if I wanted a free fan they were done using. I said send it our way!  And she did.

Well it took us awhile to get to it because we'd never really put a fan up on our own before and maybe it intimidated us? I don't know.  But we finally got around to it (and honestly just take your time, make sure youre doing it right, and its not that hard at all).  But there was a problem.  The fan was smoking!  We wondered if it had to do with faulty glue on the light kit that Bethany (my sis in law) warned me about so we put on the extra light kit she sent, but same thing.  So... I contacted Bethany and she said Emerson would send us another light kit for free.  That didn't work either it was still smoking.  Emerson is such a great company.  The quality control manager said he'd like us to pick out another fan, a brand new one, for free.  So we did!  We picked out the same one that's in Raeleigh's room, because we like it so much and since the rooms are right next to eachother I thought it would look nice so the rooms, though styled different, still have a cohesive look.  So we took the first one down (or I guess the second if you include the original.) 
Here's a pic I got as Jake was taking it down.

 

 Emerson cares so much about putting out a good product they asked if they could see the fan we had problems with to make sure whatever it is thats going wrong doesn't happen again.  Our conclusion, we think it was the light bulbs and nothing wrong with the actual fan at all.  But we'll see what the fine folks at Emerson think.  

So anyway, they sent us our beautiful new fan. And here it is...

 

I love it already but I think it will look even more amazing with all the changes I plan to do in this room.
So conclusion... With so few companies that seem to care anymore, it was refreshing to see that Emerson did and I think they are an amazing company.  Conclusion 2: I love new fixtures! And I have another one I'll be putting up in a few weeks that I can't wait to show you!

If it aint broke, you can still fix it!

This weekend I will be posting some pictures of what Raeleigh helped me do a couple weeks ago.  I might even go as far as to show a few exciting updates around the home so please check back for that.

Today I wanted to reveal what my next project will be.... as someone who THRIVES on being organized, I'm very excited to say that my next project I will be tackling is our home office.  According to my original plans you could say it's practically complete.  But guess what... I don't like it.  And I think if you walk into a room in your home and it bums you out more than lifts you up, CHANGE IT!

When I painted my office blue back in Fall of 2011.  I pictured it being much more exciting than it turned out to be.  I was inspired by John and Sherry's (Young House Love) guest bedroom.  A space I still love.  But my room looked so dark and dingy compared to theirs.  I thought putting in light curtains white shelves and a white desk would brighten it up.  But compared to their 2 windows, and cheery fabric colors they have I just wasn't getting there.  Plus, I've discovered my true style a lot more over just the last year.  So, even if I could totally duplicate their room, I wouldn't now.

Here are some most recent pictures I have of our office.

It's oookaaay, but doesn't thrill me.  So here's what I plan to do:

-Paint the room light gray (Gray.. surprise, surprise)
-Make new curtains (something I can do now with my handy new sewing machine!)
-Get a new BIGGER MUCH MORE FUNCTIONAL desk (something I've already had someone give me a great quote on to custom make for me).
-Replace the bookshelves with some that are slightly bigger and more aesthetically pleasing.
-Remove couch and add 2 chairs in place of it.
-Replace Computer chair.
-New decor.
-Add shelves to office closet
-Replace ceiling fan.
-Create a space for Jake's song writing?

Some of these things may take awhile to get done.  We don't have a budget really set aside for it.  But little by little we will knock this out.

I'm picturing my new office and can see me sitting at the computer working while Raeleigh sits across the big desk from me working on her homework.  I want this place to be inviting and multifunctional.  Can't wait!

House Tour Part One

*note:  I'm not sure why the pictures in my old posts are disappearing so I apologize for that.  Hopefully I can get that figured out, but we'll see... 

This week I'm showing half of the house, the entry and living room and all of the upstairs. 

Here is our living room/entry.  The room that's evolved the most over the last year. 

and tah-dah!  Theres that new piece of furniture!  After a LONG story (I've decided not to get into because it is a long ridiculous story) I finally have my new pretty furniture in there.  Don't laugh at our tiny tv.  A new tv in there is low on the priority list so I borrowed this one from the guest bedroom in the meantime.  In case it's hard to tell, the recessed panels on the cabinets are mirrors, it's really pretty in person.

Hopefully we will get our new fan in the next couple months for this room.

Here is the office.  Not a lot of changes since my last post on it.  We still need to change out our fan for the one we still have sitting in our garage.

Oh and no our carpets don't always look like that.  We had just gotten them professionally cleaned.

 

 

Here's my little Rae Rae's room.  It wont look like this much longer! Sad but exciting!

Not much different in our boring bathroom.  Although I did finally add blinds to cover the ugly glass block window.

The master bedroom.  Which makes me so happy.  I love my bedroom.  I still need a new fan for it but everything else is pretty much done for now.  Although I'll probably eventually add more dramatic curtains, probably floor to ceiling.

Raeleigh's bathroom...

Office Update

Listing Pic

Just before Closing

Little Raeleigh inspecting the room

Moved in, getting ready to paint

 

Current

 

So again I know I still need a lot.  A rug, new comp chair, wall art, throw pillows and eventually I'll get a bigger desk.  Also the corner with the chrome and glass shelves will eventually be Jakes songwriting corner for his guitars and keyboard.  But anyway, here it is in it's current state.  I gave Raeleigh the bottom shelf on each bookcase. She loves it!  And yes I do see now that the peg is in the wrong spot on the first shelf pic.

Paint Makes Ugly Things Pretty

FINALLY!  I'm finally writing you from the desk in my office.  That's right my desk is done! I still plan to get a piece of glass to set on top of it but all of the painting is done.  Ready for the before and after?

Here is the hideous craigslist posting picture of the desk.

It was dirrrty, beat up.  It had white out all over it as you can see.
So I cleaned it, sanded it, primed it and painted it white.  And I spray painted the handles hammered black.  And here's the desk now!

 

I'm extremely happy with how it turned out.  I also love the framed pic I put above it.  Its from pics we got done at Penneys a couple weeks ago and the frame and matte I got at Hobby Lobby yesterday.

Now I have my bookshelves to put up and the office will be as done as it's going to get right now.  Until I pick out artwork, a rug, a new computer chair and other accessories.