Master Bath Reno

For what seems like way too many months now I have been working on our Master Bath Renovation.  It was a simple and budget friendly update that I had hoped to knock out in just a couple of weekends, but as with most home projects there were a few setbacks.  

Before we go any further here is a look at the master bath stripped down prior to its little face lift! 

 

I don't have a good quality pic to show you a before of the window, but prior to the update there was a privacy film on it.  That was the very first thing I removed!  I LOVE natural light and see no reason to keep it out.  

The black and white tile floor and subway and marble shower details I am a total fan of so that was a huge relief and cost saver. Basically for this reno we would only be updating the pale green walls, hardware, and decor.

Usually, I can paint a room of this size in a couple of hours.  However, I quickly discovered that the previous homeowners who had purchased our home and did a quick flip within a year (which I am totally grateful for) had pulled wallpaper down and left glue sporadically behind.  Ugh!!! I’ve never seen paint looks so terrible on a wall, total disaster.  I then tried to take on sanding and priming the walls and I lasted for about um...30 minutes!  I had to call in back up aka Daddy to take over.  The smell of the primer was just too much for these little lungs of mine. 

In addition to painting the walls, I also gave the window trim, molding, and ceiling a fresh coat of paint.  

The abstract artwork I hung where the towel rack used to be is actually printable/digital downloads from Etsy!  I printed the images on cardstock paper and picked up frames from Michael's! I felt super frugal and proud of myself for thinking outside the box.

  

After the walls were done, I started painting all of the hardware.  The lighting fixture, the cabinet handles, even the toilet paper holder.  They were a brushed silver originally.  I try with every room I update to stay on budget and cut costs where I can.  I loved our hardware just not the color.  So out came my trusty bottle of spray paint.  I could not get over what a difference the color change made.  I also changed our current mirror from white to black to add a more dramatic contrast to the white walls.  

Next I had Scott step in to help and we tackled the shelving.  I’ll be honest, the shelving was a vision I was determined to bring to life.  I knew I not only wanted to see these handmade shelves by Scott and I in our master bath, but I also wanted to see them in the 

Delightfully Chic Lifestyle Signature Collection.

  

Did I mention the store opens THIS WEEK and these darling shelves can be YOURS?!

Finally, everything was in place and it was time to pull in the décor, my favorite part.  

 In the end this small renovation took longer than expected, but I couldn't be happier with the end results. The space feels bright and roomy and that was my overall end goal. 

One weekend soon I hope to tackle a Roman shade for the window, but honestly I am loving all the light that pours in every morning and afternoon!

The Details

Paint Color - Benjamin Moore, Decorators White (my all time fave)

Swing Shelf - Delightfully Chic Lifestyle 

Printable Artwork - Etsy 

Jute Basket - TJ Maxx

Jute Rug - Bed Bath & Beyond

Accent Decor - Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and Local Antique Stores

DIY: The Perfect {Inexpensive} Bookshelf

A few months back I was on the hunt for a simple gold bookshelf.  I found that so many I loved were around $250 and up!  This just seemed a little crazy to me.  So I decided this gold bookshelf I was on the hunt for was now going to turn into a DIY.

After removing the gold element from my search I started to find several reasonably priced shelves that a can of gold spray paint would do wonders with.  I ended up purchasing the Vittsjo Shelf from Ikea in white for just $49.  

Next to dress this plain Jane up to her full potential.

A trip to Lowes for a few supplies and we were ready.

Shelf * Contact Paper * Pretty Scissors * Gold Spray Paint * Primer

Now that we have all the items, it's time to make this doll come to life.

I think it's totally up to you if you want to assemble before or after you paint.  I decided to assemble first, then spray.  Once I had the shelf together I started with the primer.  Even though the shelf was white, I still like to prime as it helps your paint adhere better.  Once the primer was dry, it was time to paint this beauty gold.  In the end I used almost 2 cans of paint.  It never ceases to amaze me what a can of paint can do for a lifeless piece.

The three middle shelves are glass, but the top and bottom are solid, some type of faux wood.

I decided to dress this piece up just a touch more by wrapping the top and bottom shelves in marble contact paper.  Seriously, this made the entire look of the bookshelf!

And...there you have it!  

I couldn't be happier with the end result.  Sometimes I find it's the DIY pieces in our home I adore the most.  They just feel a little bit more special to me.

Gifts For The Hostess

Our calendars tend to fill up fast over the holidays with casual family dinners, intimate parties with our closest friends, and large lavish soirees.  No matter the size of the gathering you will attend this holiday season, it is always a good idea to have a hostess gift on hand.

1. West Elm Diffuser

2. Animal Wine Stoppers

3. Monogram Wine Stopper

4. Mark and GrahamWine Tote

5. Coaster Set

6. Anthropologie Cheese Board

Remember, your hostess put a lot of time and energy into creating a memorable evening.  

Spoil her (or him) a little and you're sure to be the first wine glass topped off! ;) 

Cheers! 

Sunday Sanctuary: Delightfully Chic Home Office

Scott and I both have our own offices in our home and somehow I ended up with the smaller of the two!  Say What?  In all honesty there was something about the coziness of my office that really appealed to me.  It just felt right.  As I've said before I have been working room by room to redesign each space in our home.  My office has been so low on the list, but after Fi was born all of her wonderful distractions started to pull me away from blogging and my visions for Delightfully Chic.  I immediately knew I had to move the office up on the priority list to help keep me focused and inspired.

In order to de-clutter my thoughts, recharge my batteries and get this project underway I removed every single item from the office and started with a fresh coat of paint.  I went with one of my favorite colors, Decorators White by Benjamin Moore.  Then I pulled back in the items I knew I still wanted in the office.  My desk, chair, and stool from the original DC collection. That was it! Everything else will be finding a new landing place.  Now what?  Well, I plan to change the curtain rod, light fixture, purchase a new computer, add in wall art, plant life, and anything else that inspires me. 

Here a few spaces that inspire me and follow my vision for the new Delightfully Chic office.

(inspiration images via pinterest) 

As more progress is made I'll make sure to keep you all posted and of course share the finished product once completed!

Happy Sunday!

Home Office {Take II}

One room in our house that I constantly put on the back burner is my office. I’ve had plans for this space since the day we moved in and recently have come to the decision that making plans just isn’t cutting it anymore.  I’m ready to see my workspace come together.  Originally, I wanted to go with a color pallet of white, gray, and shades of pink and coral.  Of course a year later I’ve completely changed my mind.  Since this will be the home office of Delightfully Chic I really want it to reflect the brand.  So, gold, black, white, and silver it is.  As I pull together my inspiration board I am beyond excited to wrap up the nursery (we are about 70% of the way complete) and tackle my office.  The place where my creative juices and dreams will run wild!

 I currently have the chair and desk pictured above and those really are the "biggies"! 

Yep, I think this time I might just get the job done!

 

An Ashley Family Tradition

In just a few short hours I will be unplugging and cherishing Christmas moments with my favorite loved ones.  But, before I go, I want to share one of our family traditions that I hope you can adopt for your family.

Every Christmas morning my brother and I would rush downstairs to see what Santa had brought us that year. We would rip through the wrapping paper, screaming with excitement, tossing one gift to hurry and discover the next gift and before you knew it the living room looked like a bomb went off and gifts were everywhere.  My Sweet Mama really felt like we weren't truly appreciating our gifts or taking time to really enjoy each gift.  So she and "Santa" decided it was time to come up with a new plan for the kiddos.  When I was about 5 years old and my brother 9 we came downstairs one Christmas morning to find a sign in front of all of gifts that said STOP! "First, put on your new pajamas and your mama will explain the rest." So we did just that.  Then mama began to read "the rules"...

Each of your gifts has been numbered.  Now the trick here if you have more than one kid, especially ones who LOVE gifts from Santa (like me), make sure both or all kids have the same number of gifts!  Then Mama would randomly pull a number from her bowl of numbers that she had made.  "Number 7" OK,  now Brent and I would shuffle through our pile of gifts to find the present marked #7!  We would both open ours then wait for the next number to be called.  There is ALWAYS a present in the stack (usually the biggest box) that we were dying to open!  BUT, you had to wait till that number was called.  It was so intense!!  This process of opening Santa's gifts fills more time and also makes you really take in each gift.  Another added bonus, your parents get to see the excitement on your face with each present!  Dad's, your main job is to film the kids opening the gifts!  Oh and try to keep the camera steady!  I swear you need a Dramamine pill before watching our old home videos.

Sharing this tradition with you all brings a bittersweet feeling to me.  Now most kids stop believing in Santa and for me...I am almost 34 and I STILL believe in the magic of Christmas.  For almost 30 years now I have opened my presents alongside my brother with Mama calling numbers. It's just a tradition you never seem to grow out of.  This year will be our last year that we open gifts this way.  As of next year, I will be "Mama" and I will take on the role of helping Santa by calling numbers to our sweet "Baby G" on Christmas morning. It's a moment I can hardly stand waiting for.  A moment I have dreamed of and a tradition I have longed to pass down to my very own family.
 

May you all have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!  May you also remember that Christmas is about something way more important that opening gifts.  

I wonder what God wants for Christmas…Maybe peace on Earth, no more empty seats in church
I wonder what God wants for Christmas…What might put a smile on HIS face, Every Bible with no dust, the devil giving up
I wonder what God wants for Christmas…More sister, more brother, more lovin' one another
What if we believe in HIM…Like HE believes in us...

Merry Christmas! 

(all images via pinterest)

 

Quote of the Week {Weekend Wrap Up}

Happy Monday and Happy Thanksgiving Week!

How was your weekend?!  Scott and I had plans to go to Charlotte on Friday to spend the weekend with our dear friends and meet their precious little boy that just arrived in September, but I was “fortunate” enough to come down with the nasty head cold that seems to be going around these days. YUCK!  From the moment I arrived home on Friday to Sunday night there was a whole lot of pj wearing and couch bonding time.  I did manage to muster up some energy on Saturday to do a little Christmas decorating. (pics to come) We also got in a late lunch and the of course, the obligatory Starbucks run. On our way back home we stopped by Lowe's to pick up paint samples.  That’s right!  I have another room redo on the brain.  When you spend an entire weekend in your family room staring at the walls you have contemplated changing since the day you moved in you start making some decisions.  I have decided to change our grey walls to...drum roll please…WHITE!  For those that know me well I know this is hardly a shocker, but it is 100% the clean and crisp canvas 

I need to move forward with the décor I envision within this room.

I probably have about 40 color swatches of white paint at this point.

Who knew there were so many shades of white?!  While I am still deciding on the exact shade we will go with, here are few rooms that completely inspire me.

 

 

 

 

(images via pinterest)

And of course, your quote of the week!

May today and everyday you be thankful for the little things!

Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2016

Benjamin Moore has named "Simply White" the 

color of the year for 2016!

Did you feel my heart skip a beat?!

If you know me at all, you know I always choose white!

It provides the perfect canvas,  natural light adores the color, 

and it goes with everything! 

 

Here are a few rooms to inspire using the shade

of true perfection!

Now get out those paint brushes and get to painting!