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Happy Tuesday!  Hope you had a wonderful Easter.  We spent the day with family at my parents' home - eating, catching up, and egg hunting!  My boys were so excited about the day.  They love getting together with their cousins and the entire family.  We always have a great, zany time together!

Around the web...

I connected with Jordan after she left a comment on one of my Instagram posts.  She doesn't have a blog, but you have to go visit her IG feed.  It is filled with eye candy of her gorgeous home and design projects!

I enjoyed the spring tours hosted by Marty.  It's always fun to peek into other people's homes. :)  Kris' dining room (above) was one of my favorites.  It is always so nicely decorated.  I love the clever way she incorporated lemons into her floral centerpieces for her spring tablescape!

I recently discovered this blog.  It's been around awhile, but you know, I'm "late" to the blogging game. :)  As a fellow home renovator, I enjoyed reading about some of their home renovation projects.  Her writing style is hilarious.  If you don't mind a little witty sarcasm, go check it out.  The front porch entry-turned-mudroom is a favorite.  It's something that we have considered doing to our own home...

In other news...  CAD INTERIORS was featured over at Shine Your Light yesterday.  Head on over there to check out the post, and be sure to poke around awhile.  Lisa's skillful DIY handiwork will inspire you!  Check out her latest project that she built with her own two hands!!  She also detailed the construction process for her fireplace makeover so that my husband all of us can use it for future reference.  Here's a peek:

Finally, Hometalk also featured our kitchen reno on their IG feed! :)

Quartz Kitchen Countertops

When I was working on our kitchen design, I knew I wanted to use quartz for the countertops... and we did.  But when I came across quartzite, it threw me for a loop!

It was "stone love" at first glance.  I was looking for something that resembled marble, but did not prefer actual marble itself at least not for kitchen countertops.  I would rather not be tasked with having to seal and maintain it.

When I saw the quartzite slabs, I was amazed at how closely they resembled marble.  It was a tough decision, but as mentioned, we ultimately ended up installing this quartz.  Durable and low-maintenance materials were high priorities in our kitchen design, so quartz won out.  It was also the more cost-friendly option.

We selected "carrara" slab quartz for the kitchen countertops.  The stone has a marble-like veining appearance and subtle gray undertones.  It gave us the marble look we wanted, without any durability or maintenance concerns.

Quartz is virtually maintenance-free and does not need to be sealed.  It is a fabricated material comprised mainly of quartzite (93% or more) but blended with a binder and pigment.  Quartzite, on the other hand, is 100% natural stone.  Since it is all natural stone, it requires sealing every 6-12 months - just like granite.  We used to have granite countertops in our last kitchen.  We lived there for seven years, and during that time, I never sealed them. :)  It showed.  There were noticeable chips that developed in a few areas.

I love our countertops!   I'd select quartz again in a heartbeat.  They were installed seven months ago, and they have performed just as expected.  They are extremely durable and withstand our daily abuse use.  They are also super easy to clean.  I use either water or a non-toxic/non-abrasive cleaner to wipe them down.

If you prefer more veining, there are several other quartz options available these days.  We actually brought a few different quartz samples home thinking we'd pick a stone with more veining.  But, it actually looked too "dirty" against our white cabinets.  CAD Design Tip: Bring large stone samples home to try out, and physically look at slabs in person if you can.  Computer images cannot compensate for how they look in real life.

A few of you also asked how much our countertops cost.  Well, we paid $3k all-in, including installation.  I think we needed 1-1/2 slabs of quartz.

There are no visible seams...

...and the edges are mitered.  Those are small details that make a big difference.

When we were pricing out quartzite, the stone alone was easily that much or more.  It was another contributing factor to why we chose quartz!

In case you missed the most recent kitchen posts, you can click on the images below:

Kitchen Backsplash

The major DIY portion of our kitchen renovation was the backsplash.  My husband installed it himself, and you'd never know it was his VERY FIRST tiling job.  He did a fantastic job!

After considering a few different options (including patterned encaustic and mosaic tiles), I ultimately circled back to a favorite: ceramic tile installed in a classic subway pattern.  A few factors contributed to the decision:

1. Subway tile is classic and timeless.  Ceramic is highly durable, and a subway pattern never gets old.  We actually installed a classic subway pattern in our guest bathroom shower, and a modern version in the main bathroom.

2. Material was a significant factor when deciding on the backsplash.  I wanted to minimize any install issues since this was my husband's first tiling job.  Ceramic tile is generally user-friendly when it comes to cuts, as opposed to glass or marble.  It is also durable (strong) and practical (easy to clean) - ideal characteristics in utilitarian spaces like kitchens.

3. After doing some research, it seemed that most people did NOT recommend installing tile mosaics for a "first time" tiling project.  Reasons varied, but the most common seemed to relate to pattern placement.  Again, since this was my hubby's first tiling job, I wanted to make it as "straightforward" as possible.  That being said, some of the cuts were not easy, especially around the cabinet crown molding.  But he did it, and he did a great job!

4. Older homes like ours come with quirks like uneven walls.  We knew that we'd have to "fudge" the tile installation a bit to account for it.  Although a classic subway pattern can be tricky since it is linear, it was also easy to "manipulate" to disguise wall imperfections.

5. The particular 3" x 6" ceramic tile we chose had "grooves", so spacers were not required.  I actually helped tile the area behind the range, and I found the tile quite "easy" to lay because of the grooves.  Keep in mind, my DIY skills are limited...

6. You can't go wrong with subway tile from a resale perspective.  Although we don't have any plans to sell, it never hurts to think long-term.  Subway tile is very timeless and transcends many design preferences.

7. Subway tile suits the ranch architecture of our home, as well as the overall classic modern farmhouse aesthetic that we wanted to achieve.  I did want some contrast against the white perimeter cabinetry, yet nothing too jarring.  The soft gray color was perfect, and it picked up on the gray veining in the countertops.

8. Finally, the COST was unbeatable.  We paid ~$115 for 40 square feet of tile.  The installation quotes were at least 5x the actual tile cost, so the savings from the DIY install can go towards something else like island lighting.  I didn't tally the exact backsplash cost, but I think it came out to ~$200 [$115 tile, $20 tile cutter, ~$70 for miscellaneous supplies (backerboard, thinset, grout, etc.)].

For those of you who are considering installing tile yourself, especially something like ours, you CAN do it!  It just takes time, patience, the right tools, and proper preparation.  Tip: Measure once, twice, three times, then cut.  The less cuts you have to make, the better!

Sharing with: Remodelaholic, TDC

Coastal Farmhouse Family Room Design

This e-design is a mix of low and mid-priced items.  The goal was to create a durable, casual family room with a coastal farmhouse feel.  Although the sofas are white, they are slipcovered and can be washed as needed!  The colors of the ocean and sand, plus various warm textures (raffia, rattan, wood) and greenery, are mixed to create a coastal farmhouse feel.  A durable black and white rug grounds the entire seating arrangement, while injecting a classic striped pattern for added depth and dimension.  The accessory pillows add a subtle elegance, but are mixed to achieve a more casual layered effect.

Would you like your own customized room design?  My limited time e-design promotion will run until the end of this month.  Take advantage of the special pricing!

Click here to see previous e-design projects, and here for general mood boards.

Our New Kitchen

Warning: This is a lengthy, photo-heavy post.

I'm finally sharing the transformation of our kitchen!  There are still some design elements missing - namely, island lighting, new stools, window covering - but nothing that affects the functionality of the kitchen.  This post is more of a photo gallery, as I plan to dig into the renovation details in future posts.

The kitchen renovation kicked off in late June 2015.  With the exception of the backsplash tile work (which my hubby did), we hired a contractor to do the work in conjunction with the new hardwood floors.

This is the mostly original 1955 kitchen that came with the house...

EVERYTHING was in complete disrepair.  Cabinets were falling apart, appliances weren't working, lighting was terrible, and the kitchen floor was horrendous.  But with a few pre move-in updates, we were able to make due for two trying full years before we did the renovation.  This gave us time to really evaluate the kitchen flow and determine what we needed.

We had three weeks before we were scheduled to move in to freshen up the original kitchen, along with some other initial renovation projects.

We demo'd the peninsula area to completely open it up to the great room.  This single change "doubled" the kitchen space and made a big difference in the traffic flow.  It also allowed more natural light to filter in.

An old pantry cabinet was removed, which also concealed an inactive gas line (perhaps there was a water heater there at one time?).

Dated wallpaper was removed and walls were painted.  New sheetrock was installed where cabinetry was removed, and the entire kitchen ceiling was resurfaced and painted.

Recessed lighting was installed throughout the kitchen.  I also thought ahead and had our contractor pre-wire for future overhead lighting (perfect for the island we now have!) and re-work light switches to accommodate multiple light sources.

The old cooktop was replaced with a $50 newer second-hand find.  The double ovens and dishwasher that came with the house also did not work (we knew this from the inspection and negotiated a credit).  Since we knew we'd be renovating the kitchen sooner than later, we held off on replacing appliances until the renovation.

I snapped the following photos on my cell phone just minutes before demolition.  It will give you an idea of the kitchen we lived with for two years.

For more photos and details on the "before" kitchen, click here.

While the kitchen did require a full gut renovation, it had a great layout and "work triangle".  Our kitchen is an L-shape, which works great for having a large island and maintaining an open flow.  We saved money by using the same footprint.  There was no need to move plumbing or gas lines to accommodate the sink or appliances.  We did have our contractor install new, additional electrical sources, as well as a water line for the refrigerator.

Click here to see the mood board, kitchen finishes, and layout plans.

This is what the kitchen looks like today...

Left to right: May 2013 (close of escrow), June 2015 (pre-renovation), March 2016 (post-renovation/kitchen today)

Lastly, a peek into all the storage and function we incorporated via the custom cabinetry!

SOURCES: Cabinetry (custom); Aged Bronze Cabinet Hardware (Build.com); Backsplash (Dal-Tile); Quartz Countertops (Pental); Single-Basin Cast Iron Sink (Kohler); Faucet (Kohler); Appliances; Hardwood Floors (SLCC Milky Way Collection)

We are so happy with how the kitchen turned out!  I cook almost every day, so this is definitely a "workhorse" kitchen AND the "heart" of our home!

Just a few more items and the kitchen will be done-done:

• Island lighting
• New light fixture above sink?
• Window covering
• New counter stools

Sharing with: TDC, Create Share Inspire, Home Stories A to Z, Remodelaholic