ORC Week 5 - DIY Concrete Countertops
Are you looking for beautiful and unique countertops that don't cost thousands? Give concrete countertops a try! In this post, I'm sharing the step-by-step process of how I installed white concrete countertops in my laundry room as part of the One Room Challenge.
Pour In Place Concrete Countertops
Are you looking for beautiful and unique countertops that don't cost thousands? Give concrete countertops a try! In this post, I'm sharing the step-by-step process of how I installed white concrete countertops in my laundry room as part of the One Room Challenge.
This is an in-depth monster of a post, so grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy!
Thank you to Concrete Countertop Solutions for partnering with me and sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
What’s the One Room Challenge?
If you’re new here, the One Room Challenge is an event where DIYers from all around encourage and motivate one another to makeover one room in their homes over a period of 8 weeks. In my case, I’m finally tackling our laundry room remodel.
Each Wednesday during the challenge, I'll share a post with the previous week's progress until the final reveal on November 16th!
A Journey Into DIY Concrete Countertops
When I originally started hammering out the details for the laundry room design, I assumed we’d just use the same laminate countertop we used in the loft kitchenette. However, we were really concerned about getting a clean cut on the mitered corner we’d need.
Then we considered quartz. My excitement about the prospect of a stone countertop was quickly diminished when the quote came back at $2600! As beautiful as it was, I couldn’t justify spending that much on a countertop for a laundry room. So back to the drawing board I went!
I remembered, once upon a time I saw Young House Love use Ardex feather finish on their kitchen counters. I’ve wanted to try it ever since, but we were concerned about its durability. Then I figured – well, why not do actual concrete countertops?
I was nervous about properly building the molds needed to pour concrete countertops in the garage, carrying them inside after they dried, hoping that they fit perfectly, and crossing my fingers that they didn’t break in the move (yikes!)
Then I came across a company called Concrete Countertop Solutions and was really impressed with their product. They have everything you need for DIY pour-in-place concrete countertops – plus a white concrete option that I knew would go perfectly with my design!
And if it seems overwhelming trying to figure out what exactly you need, they have this super handy “What do I need?” form. I filled it out with some basic information and the next day got an email with a link to a cart with all the products added. As a habitual second-guesser and overthinker, I was pumped to know that I wasn’t missing anything or buying more than I needed.
Here are the items you'll need that aren't supplied by Concrete Countertop Solutions:
- Cement board
- Measuring Tape
- Level
- Miter Saw
- Styrofoam (for the sink cut-out)
- Oscillating tool or jigsaw (again, for the sink cut-out)
- Silicone caulk
- Caulk gun
- Drill
- Mixing paddle (or you could see if your local hardware store rents out cement mixers)
- Utility knife (with a sharp blade to cut cement board!)
- Gorilla tape
- Gloves
- 5-gallon bucket
- Orbital sander
Additional materials for our specific project:
- Rosin paper and painter's tape (to protect the floors)
- Plastic (to protect the walls & cabinets. This kind with the tape attached is pretty nifty!)
- Stud finder, 2x4s, & screws (to create supports where we didn't have cabinets installed)
- Heat gun
Step 1: Protect Your Surfaces
Chipping dried cement off the floor and walls didn’t sound like my idea of a good time, so I started my project by taping rosin paper to the floors and sticking pre-taped plastic to the cabinets and walls.
Step 2: Cement Board
Next, measure your countertop surface and score the cement board using a utility knife. Scoring the cement board will quickly wear down the blade on your knife, so make sure you have extras!
Cement board cuts similarly to drywall - score the surface, then snap the board.
Something I wish I had thought about earlier - you don’t need to worry about adding an overhang on the cement board because the countertop forms already come with it.
Once your cement board is all cut to size, adhere it in place using silicone caulk. Tape any seams using Gorilla Tape.
Step 3: Install Countertop Forms
Now you’re ready to cut the countertop forms. Using a miter saw, cut the forms to size. Try to create as few seams as possible so you don’t have to worry about them appearing in your finished countertops.
I will warn you, connecting the odd shape of the forms for the front of our countertops to the forms for the backside was a little mind-bending. Just be sure to measure twice and cut once!
Once all your forms are cut, using the recommended screws attach the forms to the cement board.
Next, it’s time to seal it all up. Start by taping the outside corners where each form meets with Gorilla Tape. Then apply caulk to any seams - including corners and where the form meets the cement board. I don’t think there’s a way to go overboard with this step.
Step 4: Sink Installation
Although we have a 36” sink base, I was more concerned about having the extra counter space than a big sink. Therefore, I bought a smaller porcelain undermount sink. But when we got to the point of installing it with the specific sink form, it wasn’t making sense.
I couldn't find any good tutorials on how to install an undermount sink using the Z Counterforms so I reached out to Concrete Countertop Solutions. They got back to me within 24 hours with recommendations on how to troubleshoot. Hopefully, I can help someone else with these tips.
Here's how we ended up installing our sink:
We started by measuring a hole big enough for our sink to fit in, but small enough that the flanges would sit on top of the cement board. Then we cut it out using an oscillating tool.
We also cut out the hole for our faucet.
Then, using a couple of pieces of styrofoam (and a bread knife!), we created a knockout for the sink, sanded it smooth, and wrapped it in packing tape.
Notice there’s styrofoam in the sink as well.
From here, we used a heat gun to soften the sink form so we could mold it around the styrofoam. I don’t know if it’s typical to have to use a heat gun but it worked for us!
Once the sink form was on, I caulked around the sink where it met the cement board and around where the form met the sink.
Don’t mind the chip clips. We cut the form a little too small and had to patch the gap. We used the clips as clamps to get as clean of a seam as possible.
At this point, we also installed the faucet knockout and caulked that in place too.
Step 5: Mesh
Once the caulk is dry, you can install the mesh. Make sure you wear gloves for this part.
I just rolled mine out over the countertop and cut to size using regular scissors. Then I slid the Z-clips (the white clips below that hold the mesh in place) underneath every 8-12 inches. After that, you simply drill the Z-clips in place using the screws provided.
Step 6: CONCRETE
When you think of DIYing concrete countertops, you may underestimate the amount of prep that needs to happen before you can actually start pouring concrete. I know I did! I’m happy to tell you that FINALLY, at step 6, you can start mixing your concrete.
We found that a thinner mixture worked best for us. We ended up using about 4 quarts of water per bag. With this ratio, we found way fewer lumps when pouring and it was easier to mix overall (our drills thanked us for that).
We started with a couple of quarts of water and half a bag of concrete, then slowly added more water and concrete until the whole bag was mixed up. We used one bag of concrete per bucket.
Mixing up enough concrete for our small countertop was a LOT of work! While Lucius literally did the heavy lifting by carrying the buckets to the laundry room, it was even physically taxing on me simply using the drill to mix. If I were to DIY concrete countertops again, I’d definitely consider renting a concrete mixer.
As we poured each bucket, we used our small trowel to spread out the concrete and push it into the corners and to the edges of the mold. While you do want to work fast, it’s worth noting that it took us over an hour to mix and pour all 7 bags and the concrete was still malleable. Here’s an action shot for ya:
Once your concrete is poured, level it out. We didn’t trust that any of the wood we had on hand was straight enough, so we used an actual level.
Once your concrete is level tap the outside of the form until all the bubbles are out. I used the handle of my trowel. If you skip this step you WILL end up with visible air pockets along the edges of your countertop.
After the concrete is de-bubbled, let it sit for 30-minutes or so. Once it starts to firm up, take your plastic trowel and work on smoothing it out. Make sure you hold the trowel at a bit of an angle as you drag it across the surface.
Wait another hour or two, then come back in with your steel trowel and further smooth out the surface. You can apply more pressure this time around. And if you wait a little too long for this step (like I did), you can spritz your countertops with some water to reactivate the concrete a bit.
Step 7: Remove the Forms
After you finish up with the steel trowel, let your countertops dry for 24-48 hours. Then comes the moment of truth: breaking off the forms!
Lightly sand along the top of the form if the concrete is covering it at all with 220-grit sandpaper.
Then, run the edge of a putty knife between the form and the concrete along the entire edge of the countertop to separate the two.
Now you can pry the form away from the countertop with your fingers. The form is made to break underneath so the front of the form should pop off. My little lady fingers weren’t strong enough to do this on my own so I had to enlist Lucius’ man hands to help but it was a success!
We have some bubbles in our final product but since concrete is expected to be imperfect, I don’t necessarily hate them. If they bug me enough, Concrete Countertop Solutions has a patch product I can buy to fill them in.
To remove the sink form, Lucius oh-so-gently punched a hole in the styrofoam knock-out we created. Then we were easily able to pull the sink form off. This part was especially nerve-wracking but it also turned out well!
I have quite a bit of caulk to clean off, but it did its job of keeping concrete out of the sink so I’d say it was worth it.
Step 8: Sand
To smooth out the surface, the next step is to sand starting with 80-grid sandpaper and working your way down to 220. I started off sanding with my orbital sander and within less than 3 minutes the room was FILLED with dust.
There’s no window in the laundry room so I ended up hand-sanding my counters to keep the dust at bay. Luckily, I don’t have a lot of counter space. But this is definitely something to keep in mind if you decide to tackle your own concrete countertops.
Sanding will also expose the aggregate in the concrete, which I love. It’s subtle but really beautiful.
Oh yeah, and if it wasn’t obvious, WEAR A MASK!
Step 9: Seal
Once the dust has literally settled, thoroughly clean off your countertops to prep for sealing them.
I used Concrete Countertop Solutions Aqua-Thane to seal mine. It comes in two solutions that you mix together according to the directions and then apply with a roller. I applied two coats.
Final Thoughts
I’m really happy with how my countertops turned out, but I’ll admit that they were a lot more work than I expected! I bet a lot of you are wondering, was it worth it? I think that answer really comes down to personal preference and whether you’d rather save the money and put in the sweat equity or just pay someone else to do it. Here’s some perspective:
The total cost for our concrete countertops came out to roughly $1000. That cost includes the supplies from Concrete Countertop Solutions and anything additional we had to purchase to complete the process. It does NOT include tools we already had on hand.
The cost to have concrete countertops installed can cost between $65 and $135+ per square foot - but it would save you a lot of time and energy.
That being said, Lucius and I have already discussed using up our excess materials on concrete countertops in the garage - which should be easier since we won’t have to haul buckets of concrete upstairs, and we’ll DEFINITELY be renting a cement mixer.
There are only THREE MORE WEEKS of the One Room Challenge. Any guesses on what I’ll be tackling next week to really make this laundry room sing???
Don’t miss out! Catch up on my other One Room Challenge Posts:
Make Your Own Concrete Countertops
ORC Week 4 - Cabinet, Door, and Trim Installation
It’s week 4 of the One Room Challenge and we’re officially halfway to the finish line! This week the laundry room got a big upgrade when we installed the freshly painted cabinets, a new door, and the trim!
Installing Trim, Interior Doors, and Cabinets
It’s week 4 of the One Room Challenge and we’re officially halfway to the finish line! This week the laundry room got a big upgrade when we installed the freshly painted cabinets, a new door, and the trim!
What’s the One Room Challenge?
If you’re new here, the One Room Challenge is an event where DIYers from all around encourage and motivate one another to makeover one room in their homes over a period of 8 weeks. In my case, I’m finally tackling our laundry room remodel.
Each Wednesday during the challenge I'll share a post with the previous week's progress until the final reveal on November 16th!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
Cabinet Installation
This was my first time installing cabinets. No tutorial here today, folks. I definitely don’t feel like I have enough experience to teach someone else how to install cabinets.
But I will sum it up by telling you there was a lot of shimming and leveling - which is typical for an older home. Luckily, we only had two cabinets to install so it didn’t take a ton of time.
As a side note, how good is the color combination of the beige cabinets against those terracotta walls!?
We also added a couple of floor-to-ceiling boards between the smaller cabinet and washer/dryer to eventually make the appliances look built-in.
In our last two houses, the washer and dryer lived in an unfinished basement flush with cobwebs and interesting smells. And before we moved our laundry room upstairs, the washer and dryer were in a more finished space, but still not as nice as I've always wanted. And then, of course, they moved up here where they sat in the unfinished room for a year.
Needless to say, I’m ridiculously happy about the idea of having built-in appliances in a beautifully finished space! I can’t wait to see the clean, finished look they’ll have when everything is permanently in place and painted. I feel so fancy already. Plus, having a place to FINALLY store my laundry detergent feels like a dream.
To thread the washer hoses through, we bored some holes in the faux wall. I’ll probably hide the access to the waterlines with a piece of artwork or something.
As I mentioned in my design plans, I’m still planning on building a cabinet to go above the washer and dryer that will finish that corner off nicely and hide the dryer vent too.
It’s definitely intimidating to think about building it myself, but there’s no way we’d be able to buy a stock cabinet in the measurements we need. Plus, it’s an opportunity for me to grow, learn something new, and build some confidence!
Door Installation
We also took some time last week to install a new door! This is especially exciting because this is the last door on the second floor we needed to replace! Feels like a bit of a milestone.
As with cabinets, door installation involves a whole lot of leveling and shimming - with the added task of removing excess flooring and drywall to make it fit juuuuust right.
I left most of the door installation to Lucius but made sure I was at the ready with tools, snacks, and entertainment. I don’t like to brag, but I’m pretty sure it turned out so well simply because I was present.
Trim
Our other big change last week was adding trim, specifically baseboards and door casings, which immediately made everything feel more finished.
We used the same basic baseboard that we have throughout the house and installed the same fluted trim that we've used on all the other upstairs doors. Once all the trim was nailed and caulked into place, I decided to paint it the same color as the cabinets.
I talked about my longing for contrast trim during the loft renovation. And although Lucius talked me out of it in that space, I went for it in the laundry room! I painted the back of the door in the same color too. I’m unstoppable now!
I still need to touch up the wall color around the trim for a nice, clean finish, but I’ll save that for another day.
While we were working, we also decided to switch the hinges on the dryer to the opposite side. Unfortunately, during that process, the bracket that holds the door in place fell into the dryer cavity. So at the end of the day, Lucius went on a fun little adventure to retrieve it.
He wasn’t particularly thrilled. BUT, we found the bracket and were able to put it back where it belongs.
Final Thoughts
One of my favorite parts about DIY is seeing the designs I come up with come to life - and knowing I did it myself! This room is no different. I can’t express how pumped I am to see this room come together.
Stay tuned for next week because we’re trying our hand at installing CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS and I won’t lie that I’m a little nervous! I’ll be sharing updates over on Instagram as well so make sure you follow along there too.
Don’t miss out! Catch up on my other One Room Challenge Posts:
Door, Trim, and Cabinet Installation
ORC Week 3 - My Foolproof Method for Painting Cabinets
At this point, I've painted 4 kitchens worth of cabinets and have learned A LOT along the way. Since I was painting the cabinets for the laundry room this week anyway, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to share my process for painting cabinets - breaking down what does and doesn't work so you get the best finished product.
How to Paint Cabinets in 4 Steps
I can’t believe it’s already week 3 of the One Room Challenge! So far, I’ve figured out my overall design, painted my laundry room a beautiful terracotta color (Kitchen Terracotta by Valspar), and last week I painted the cabinets for the laundry room!
What’s the One Room Challenge?
If you’re new here, the One Room Challenge is an event where DIYers from all around encourage and motivate one another to makeover one room in their homes over a period of 8 weeks. In my case, I’m finally tackling our laundry room remodel.
Each Wednesday during the challenge I'll share a post with the previous week's progress until the final reveal on November 16th!
At this point, I've painted 4 kitchens worth of cabinets and have learned A LOT along the way. Since I was painting the cabinets for the laundry room this week anyway, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to share my process for painting cabinets - breaking down what does and doesn't work so you get the best finished product.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
Materials
- Wood Filler (optional)
- Putty Knife (optional)
- Orbital Sander (optional)
- Drill
- TSP Cleaner
- Sandpaper (150 & 220 grit)
- Liquid Sandpaper (optional)
- Oil-based primer
- Paintbrush (2)
- Foam Roller (2)
- Mini Cone Paint Stands, or Solo Cups
- Paint Can Opener
- Enamel Paint
Step 1: Prep
I know, I know, “Prep work is sooooo boring! Can’t I just skip it all and jump to painting already?” NO! I mean, you could, but your cabinets probably won’t look that great and won’t stand the test of time.
As dull as prep work is, it’s really important. So just do it already, okay?
Take it all apart
Start by removing doors, drawers, hinges, and hardware. If you’re planning on switching up the handles, knobs, or hinges, you might need to fill the old holes with some wood filler.
Clean it real good
Next, I recommend wiping everything down with TSP (or at the very least with some soap and water, you filthy animal) to get it nice and clean. TSP is especially good at degreasing all those yucky kitchen cabinets.
Sand
Before you mention it, I too have seen the copious amounts of Pins for articles touting methods of painting cabinets that don’t require any sanding. And to that I say, “Lies!” I don’t believe it for a second. But I do have my own little alternative methods here.
In the case of my laundry room makeover, my cabinets were new so I sanded them entirely in the garage the old-fashioned way. BUT, if I’m painting cabinets that are already installed, I typically use liquid sandpaper on the cabinet boxes to keep from making a giant dusty mess in the house.
Since doors and drawers are touched so much more, however, I recommend using an orbital sander and 150-grit sandpaper to scuff up all your surfaces to get them nice and grippy. You can sand by hand as well - it just takes longer.
Once everything is sanded, wipe off all that dust.
Step 2: Prime
Now we’re getting closer to the real party - it’s time to prime! I guess you can consider this the appetizer. The pre-game, if you will.
I’ll say it ‘til I die - I hate oil-based primer. BUT, I always recommend using it when painting cabinets. As smelly and messy as it is, once it cures it holds up amazingly well. I like to use this kind by Zinsser.
I start by cutting in with an on-it’s-way-out brush wherever my roller won’t be able to reach. Then, I use a small foam roller to roll primer onto the rest of the surfaces.
Cabinet doors are the most tedious part because you have to wait for one side to dry before you can flip them over. To keep the doors off the ground, you can prop them up on these little mini cone stands.
If I ever have the foresight, I’ll have to grab some to try next time I paint cabinets. I’ve always resorted to using Solo cups, which also work well.
While I’m waiting for each side of my doors to dry, I simply store my brush and roller in Zip-loc bags so they don’t dry out. Once everything has one coat of primer, I just throw the brush and roller away instead of trying to clean off the primer with mineral spirits.
Step 3: Paint!
FINALLY, it’s time to party paint! The most important part of this step is using the right kind of paint.
I’ve found over the years that enamel-based paint holds up better than any other. I painted our kitchen cabinets TWO YEARS ago and although they’re abused daily by two little kids, the only damage they show is one tiny chip in one of the doors. So, naturally, I chose the same kind of paint for our laundry room. The color is Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige in satin.
Also, please enjoy my ever-impressive modeling skills in the still shot below. I’m practically Vanna White.
The process here is exactly the same as when you prime, except you’ll want to do two coats of paint on everything. Remember, two thin coats are WAY better than one thick gloppy coat.
To get a smoother finish, you can do a quick sanding with 220 grit between coats of paint too.
Step 4: Reinstall and Admire
And as they say, after the party is the afterparty. (Do they still say that? Did I just age myself?)
Once you’ve given everything ample time to dry (waiting a couple of days is a good idea!), you can reinstall your doors and drawers. Or, in my case, you can install the cabinet entirely since ours were brand spanking new.
Oh, and if you’re drilling for new hardware, these templates make that task a breeze.
I finished my cabinets off with these cute little knobs.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it: beautifully painted cabinets that will stand the test of time!
I’m really happy with how my cabinets turned out and I especially love the color. You can see how I decided on Kilim Beige in last week’s post.
Next up: actually installing these bad boys, switching out the door, and finishing the trim. I can’t wait to see this room come together! Don’t forget to follow along every week as I share my progress of the laundry room makeover for the One Room Challenge!
Don’t forget to check out the other weeks of my One Room Challenge progress:
How to Paint Cabinets That Last
ORC Week 2 - How to Pick the Perfect Paint Color
In last week’s post, I shared the design I’ve had rolling around in my head for the laundry room renovation that I’m tackling for the One Room Challenge. This week, I shifted my attention to picking the perfect paint colors for the walls and cabinets - and thought it would be fun to bring you along for the ride!
Never Choose the Wrong Paint Color Again
In last week’s post, I shared the design I’ve had rolling around in my head for the laundry room renovation I’m tackling for the One Room Challenge. This week, I shifted my attention to picking the perfect paint colors for the walls and cabinets - and thought it would be fun to bring you along for the ride!
What's The One Room Challenge?
If you’re new here, the One Room Challenge is an event where creators from all around encourage and motivate one another to makeover one room in their homes over a period of 8 weeks. In my case, I’m finally tackling our laundry room remodel.
Each Wednesday during the challenge, I'll share a post with the previous week's progress until the final reveal on November 16th!
Now back to our regularly scheduled content….
While I was dreaming up my laundry room plans, we hired a contractor to finish the drywall, and then I was able to prime the walls. After living with unfinished drywall in here for over a year, I’ve never been so happy to have a white box of a room.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
This is a small room, yet it never ceases to amaze me how much drywall dust creeps into every crevice it can find. Although the drywall process didn't take long, it felt so good to encapsulate all that unfinished drywall in primer.
I mentioned in my last post that I was thinking of terracotta for the walls and beige for the cabinets. But as anyone who has picked a paint color has realized, there are SO MANY options to choose from. How do you pick the perfect one?
I’ve seen loads of blog posts that tell you you have to look at the undertones of your paint color, understand the color wheel, and practically take a class on LRV (light reflectance value) before painting a room - but even to a paint-choosing veteran (such as myself), that’s overwhelming!
So, buckle up while I share the simple steps I follow to choose paint colors EVERY TIME.
Step 1 - It All Starts With An Idea
To start, simply come up with a general idea of what you want.
In my case, I found inspiration by searching Pinterest for rooms that caught my eye and pulled colors from the palette below.
But your colors could really come from anywhere - nature, a fabric swatch, etc. It's okay if you don't have it completely narrowed down to one color family just yet because in the next step you…
Step 2 - Shamelessly Take ALL the Paint Chips
Go to the paint or hardware store and grab any paint chip options that catch your eye - they’re free! But seriously, I’m surprised at this point I don’t have at least one of every color available.
While at the store, you may think you know exactly what color you want to use, but you’re probably wrong! It really is important to get a variety of options to take home and see in your room - the lighting of your space and other objects that will be used in the room will make a big difference in how the color is perceived.
Once you get home, tape all the chips to your walls and see how they look throughout the day.
Sometimes I even like to take a few days and move the chips to other walls in the room to see how they change in different lighting. Yes, I said DAYS. Don’t rush this step. Or the next step. Or life in general. Let’s all just slow down and take it all in. Everything is dust.
Wait, what was I talking about? Oh yeah…
Step 3 - Paint Samples Are Your Friend
Once you’ve analyzed your paint chips in the space, remove the definite no-gos and buy samples of any serious contenders.
In my case, I was quickly able to rule out any samples that looked too orange or pink for what I pictured on the walls. And for the cabinets, I was able to narrow down the color right away by seeing the tones of the other chips in comparison - some were obviously too gray, others too yellow.
Samples are typically about $5 a piece and well worth the small investment to help ensure you don’t waste your time and money slapping an entire $40 gallon of paint on the wall and realizing you hate it.
Plus, I like to keep them to use for crafts and other projects. Admittedly, I might have a paint sample hoarding problem.
Here are a few tips for painting your samples:
- Paint a good-sized sample (at least 1 x 1 ft)
- Paint two coats - you want to mimic what the final product will look like!
- Leave some space between each sample so they don't compete with each other. Sometimes I'll even cover some of the samples up so I'm only seeing one at a time.
- If you're choosing multiple colors, paint them near each other to see how they work together (like the terracotta and beige that are near each other on my wall).
- As with the paint chips, it's never a bad idea to paint samples on multiple walls to see how they look at different times of day.
Pro-tip: Get an angled brush that is 2” wide (any wider and it won't fit in the paint sample can). This is my FAVORITE paint brush to use. So smoooooth.
Step 4: Pick The Winner & Get Painting!
And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for - pick the winner and paint the dang room!
Yep, it’s that easy.
Be prepared you’ll have to tell the sales associate what paint sheen you want, but have no fear! I’ve already covered that in this post.
In my case, I chose eggshell for the walls (Terracotta by Valspar) for just a little bit of reflection and wipeability. And I chose satin for the cabinets (Kilim Beige by Sherwin Williams) for some extra durability and contrast. (I’ll be sharing more about the cabinets next week!)
While I was admittedly nervous to use such a bold color on the walls in my laundry room, using these steps I truly feel like I picked the right color. It feels like a warm hug in here, and with the other elements in my design I think it’ll be the perfect backdrop!
What If You Don’t Like It?
Here’s the full truth: there’s no tutorial out there that will 100% guide you to picking the perfect paint color every time. Sometimes you think everything is hunky dory, you put the color up, and BAM it just doesn't look right. It sucks, but IT’S OKAY! It’s just paint.
While using my steps will help minimize those “aw crap” moments, even I get it wrong sometimes (like, very rarely. I’m practically perfect, you know.) And in those cases, I just pivot and course correct. No need to beat yourself up.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, my steps for picking the perfect paint color! I hope you found this post helpful. And don’t be shy about saving the Pin below to reference the next time you’re stumped on a paint color!
If you’re following the One Room Challenge, don’t forget to check out my other posts:
For more paint-related posts, check out these articles:
Find the Perfect Paint Color in 4 Steps
ORC Week 1 - Laundry Room Design Plans
I often share pictures of rooms as we're working on them. What you don't see (and what I strategically choose not to share on the regular) are the rooms that have sat unfinished - like our laundry room.
That’s why I’m super excited to share that our next project will be finishing the laundry room as part of the One Room Challenge! I'm kicking things off in this post with my design plans for this space.
Laundry Room Mood Board
I often share pictures of rooms as we're working on them. What you don't see (and what I strategically choose not to share on the regular) are the rooms that have sat unfinished - like our laundry room.
That’s why I’m super excited to share that our next project will be finishing the laundry room as part of the One Room Challenge! I'm kicking things off by sharing my design plans for this space.
What's The One Room Challenge?
The One Room Challenge is an event where creators from all around encourage and motivate one another to makeover one room in their homes over a period of 8 weeks. Each Wednesday during the challenge, I'll share a post with the previous week's progress until the final reveal on November 16th!
I've wanted to take part in this event for a few years now, so I'm finally gonna do it! I'm anxious about finishing in the timeline allotted but also really excited to have a finished laundry room and share the progress every step of the way. But first, a little background…
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Where It All Began
Did you know that our laundry room used to be downstairs off the mudroom?
How about that during our master suite renovation we turned the room that once was our shower into an upstairs laundry room?
True story!
In fact, I even came up with a “genius” design plan for the newly-built laundry room a while back.
Once our new laundry room was somewhat established, we installed the same tile we have in our master bathroom, hooked up the washer and dryer where I thought I wanted them, and… well, that’s how it’s sat for the last year or so.
Current Laundry Room Situation
Here's what the laundry room looks like today:
Not much to look at, huh?
As much as I love having the laundry room on the same floor as our bedrooms, I quickly realized how much I HATED the layout. In its current positioning, the placement of the washer and dryer annoyingly requires me to shuffle in and out of the laundry room while performing a weird juggling act of laundry baskets.
But as inconvenient and unfinished as the space is, it’s functioning, so we’ve focused our attention on other projects. UNTIL NOW.
Lucius has already begrudgingly lovingly agreed to relocate the water line to the back wall and reroute the dryer vent (straight through the roof!) for our new configuration. Now the fun really starts. Well, after the ever-luxurious task of finishing the drywall.
Since we've learned just how much we loathe drywall (and that we’re not very good at it), we've hired out this task. In the meantime, I’ve been working on the design!
Laundry Room Design Plans
Inspiration
I was honestly struggling for a long time to get excited about a design plan for the laundry room. Then I came across the picture below and felt those idea butterflies in the pit of my stomach start a’fluttering. (Anyone else get those, or should I maybe see a doctor?)
That terracotta pink with the contrast of darker tones and natural materials really caught my eye. Finally, with that spark of inspiration my design wheels began turning at full speed, and I was able to put my plans together.
Now, let’s break it down!
Paint
Obviously, I’m feeling a terracotta paint color for the walls - I may have been drawn to this tone because of the cabinet color Yellow Brick Home chose for their kitchen, or maybe I’m still on a warm-toned kick since I made over our toddler’s bedroom.
Either way, the wall color will be the star of the show in this room - but in a subtle way. I imagine it being bold without being in your face. My goal is that it’s a grounding backdrop for the other elements that will be added to this small space.
Floors & Lighting
As I mentioned above, we already installed this porcelain marble-look tile that we used in our master bathroom before we even had finished walls in the laundry room!
Around that time, we also installed the same flush mount light fixture we used in our hallway. Needless to say, these items will be staying.
Cabinets
I love the look of shaker cabinets. I've been pricing out a couple of options and found some at Menard's that will work. We’ll have a 36” cabinet right inside the door with a small undermount sink. Next to the washer and dryer, there will be a 20” cabinet to hold general laundry supplies.
Between the cabinets there will be an open space to store laundry baskets under the counter. I’d love to build a little shelf in this open area so I can store more than one basket at a time! Either way, I’ll cover the gap with a sweet café curtain (held in place with a tension rod) to add some softness and more texture.
This all makes more sense in the rendering I share a little further down.
We’ll also build a small cabinet to sit above the washer and dryer that will be strategically placed in front of the dryer vent hose to conceal it.
I picture the cabinets being finished in a sandy beige (similar in tone to the cabinets in the picture above) to help tone down the color of the walls and bring in some light. I might even extend that color to the trim and door as well.
To tie the brass in the light fixture into the rest of the room, I’d like to add brass knobs like these to the cabinets.
Backsplash
I’ve recently become enamored with this 4x4” Zellige tile in the color Gin. I love the variation in color and the uneven surface of each tile. The finish also has a bit of gorgeous iridescence.
I’ve been on a tile pattern kick lately. You can check out some of the tile patterns I’ve been obsessing over on my All About Tile board on Pinterest - specifically the staggered pattern in the example below. I think installing my tiles in this pattern will add some movement to the room. I’ll finish them off with white grout.
Countertops
To add even more light to our laundry room, I’d like to install white or off-white countertops. We’re exploring the possibility of using the same laminate as we used in the loft kitchenette, or maybe even quartz!
We’ve also toyed with the idea of using butcherblock, but I worry that will be too warm against the walls. Concrete is another option - I’ve always wanted to try Ardex feather finish. Maybe this is the perfect spot!
The sink will likely be undermount and I’m picturing a matte black faucet to balance the black stainless steel appliances and the black in the light fixture.
Accessories
To complete the design, I’d really like to add mid to light-toned wood shelves in the corner (possibly floating shelves that maybe perhaps I build myself!?). And, of course, some décor because why not make doing laundry just a little bit more enjoyable, eh?
It All Comes Together
Using all those ideas, I created the rendering below to see how I would like the finished product. Heck - even I was hesitant about the idea of using such a bold color for the walls!
Seeing it all together, I feel good about this design plan and am excited to get to work! Make sure you follow along here and on Instagram to see all the updates as I work my way through the One Room Challenge! And if you like the design, Pin the mood board below!
Check out these posts to follow along with the One Room Challenge!
For more renovation content, check out the posts below!
Small Laundry Room Ideas
Halloween Decorating Ideas - and a Tutorial!
Spooky season is here!
As a self-proclaimed summer-lover, I was caught off guard when this year I actually had to restrain myself from decorating for Halloween before Labor Day! (Who even am I anymore!?) You better believe as soon as I felt it was a little more socially acceptable, I broke out the spiders, pumpkins, and bats in a hurry! In this post, I’m sharing how I decorated our home for Halloween and a tutorial for a cute kid-friendly DIY you can do to up the spooky factor in your home.
Halloween Mantel Decor
Spooky season is here!
As a self-proclaimed summer-lover, I was caught off guard when this year I actually had to restrain myself from decorating for Halloween before Labor Day! (Who even am I anymore!?) You better believe as soon as I felt it was a little more socially acceptable, I broke out the spiders, pumpkins, and bats in a hurry! In this post, I’m sharing how I decorated our home for Halloween and a tutorial for a cute kid-friendly DIY you can do to up the spooky factor in your home.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
Halloween Decor Ideas
As the focal point of our living room, our mantel has always been the main space I decorate for the holidays.
During our first year in this house, I chose to decorate with Dollar Tree pumpkins I painted, hand-cut construction paper bats, and a festive bunting I made from leftover fabric.
Last year I nixed the bunting and modified my Christmas DIY luminaries for Halloween by painting the backs of them black and adding some orange lights.
This year I was feeling a more moody and serious design, so I switched things up yet again!
The Backdrop
To add height to my overall design, I like to layer taller objects in the back and work my way forward.
In this case, my DIY antiqued mirror felt very fitting in scale and overall look and feel. To add a little bit more height I stacked it on a couple of books.
On the other side of the mantel, I scoured Etsy for the perfect vintage-y Halloween picture - this picture and this picture were strongly considered as well! Then I matted it and stuck it in this thrifted frame I’ve been holding on to.
The Foreground
I realized my thrifting habit led to a bit of an accumulation of candlestick holders over the last year - so I figured I’d gather them all up and use them for Halloween decor!
I have a fun mix of brass, copper, black, and silver in various sizes. I played with different combinations of candlestick holders on either side of the mantel until I was happy with how they looked in their groupings.
If you don’t have a thrifting problem surplus of candlestick holders on hand, there are a ton of options online.
I love this set of candlestick holders for their aged coloring and the variety of silhouettes. Or if you’re looking for something in black - these have a great shape too. And don’t forget to get some candlesticks! I used white, but black would look especially spooky.
As in previous years, I still used pumpkins in my overall design but chose fewer pastels and a more toned-down palette. I grabbed some velvet pumpkins from the Dollar Tree. But if you can’t find them at your local store, here’s a similar option I found on Amazon.
I added a few strings of leaves from, you guessed it, the Dollar Tree to fill in the gaps and add a little bit of color. Then I finished the overall design by retiring my handmade bats altogether and giving these butterflies a whirl.
I like the switcheroo with the butterflies - especially because they stick to the ceiling, which my bats never did with regular old tape. But if I were to use them again, I’d make sure to get a pack with multiple sizes, and I’d space them out differently.
I also switched up the decor on the buffet table in our dining room with my faux yellow ginkgo branches and pumpkins. Mine are from Target, but it looks like they’re no longer sold - however, these ginkgo branches look really nice and come with six stems!
And since I am who I am, I had to find a way to make some sort of Halloween craft - so I gathered the kids, and we made DIY floating ghosts!
DIY Floating Ghost Tutorial
How cute is that!?
This craft took a little bit of troubleshooting, but luckily I did that work for you, so now you don’t have to. Here’s the best method I found to make DIY Floating Ghosts:
Materials
- Cheesecloth
- Flour
- Water
- Large Bowl
- Duct Tape
- Solo Cups
- Dowel Rods (I bought two 3-foot dowel rods and cut them in half to get the sizes I needed)
- Styrofoam Circles
- Scissors
Start by making a hole in the bottom of a Solo Cup and sticking the dowel rod through it. Then, brace the dowel rod in the cup with duct tape. The end of the dowel rod should be even with the opening of the cup.
Tape the cup face down. Add some extra tape around the dowel rod to make sure it’s nice and sturdy.
Then, push the styrofoam down on the dowel rod and drape the cheesecloth on top to figure out how much you need, and cut to your desired length.
My daughters and I made three ghosts - one with starch and water, one with Mod Podge, and one with flour and water. Surprisingly, flour and water held the ghost shape the best! This is where the project gets pretty messy, which means it was the kids’ favorite part.
Once you’ve determined how much cheesecloth you need, create a mixture of flour and water in your bowl. The water and flour mixture isn’t an exact science - be generous with the flour and make enough to soak your cheesecloth because… next, you’ll dip your cheesecloth in the mixture and squish it around until it’s nice and soaked.
Now drape the cheesecloth over the styrofoam ball and let it dry overnight.
Once your ghosts are dry, you can use a Sharpie to draw faces on them. And if you’re a creative 6-year-old, you can also add eyelashes.
To hang mine, I used a needle and threaded fishing line through the top of the ghost. Then I used a Command Hook to hang it from the ceiling.
Final Thoughts
While this craft was quite messy, the kids loved it, and the clean-up was actually pretty easy. Plus, the end result is the perfect amount of eerie. Save the Pins below to reference this project or the decoration ideas for later!
For more crafty projects, take a gander at these posts:
Kid-Friendly DIY Ghost Craft
DIY Antiqued Mirror
I’m not usually a fan of antique-looking decor, but when I first saw this antiqued mirror I wanted it right away! It’s not available for sale anymore but let me tell you, it was too expensive for my blood. So, naturally, I made my own antiqued mirror! Here’s how…
How to Turn Glass into an Antique Mirror
I’m not usually a fan of antique-looking decor, but when I first saw this picture on Chris Loves Julia, I wanted that antiqued mirror right away!
The antiqued glass paired with the modern frame is just *chef’s kiss*. And then I looked at the price…
It’s not available for sale anymore but let me tell you, it was too expensive for my blood. In fact, every antiqued mirror I’ve found is more expensive than my cheap-o self is willing to spend. Plus, this seemed like a fun DIY. So, naturally, I made my own antiqued mirror! Here’s how I did it…
You can watch the tutorial by clicking the video below or continue reading for a step-by-step guide.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
Materials
A picture frame (with glass - plexi won't work!)
Distilled White Vinegar
Paper Towels
Prep Your Glass
To recreate the mirror from my inspo picture, I found this simple black aluminum picture frame online. No, it’s not nearly as big as the inspiration mirror, but I also don’t have anywhere to put a mirror that big, so that's okay!
If you’re not searching for a specific style of frame, you could easily find one that is cheaper and larger at a thrift store.
No matter what frame you choose, you might need to prep it first. For instance, my glass was held in place with clear silicone. That was certainly a surprise and took a bit of finesse to pop free without breaking it - but I did it! Once I was done, I cleaned the glass off with Windex.
Apply Black Spray Paint
Next, you’ll spray black spray paint on one side of the glass. You may need more than one coat for full coverage. Remember - multiple thin coats of paint are better than one super runny thick coat!
Make a Mirror!
Now, the fun part. Once the black spray paint is dry, flip your piece of glass over. Using your spray bottle, strategically spritz on some vinegar. Depending on the look you’re going for, feel free to use a mixture of fine mist as well as larger droplets. I purposefully applied mine around the edges to look more authentic like my mirror was slowly wearing away with time.
Next, spray on a thin, even coat of mirrored spray paint.
Then, using a paper towel, lightly dab up some of the vinegar.
This sequence of steps might take a little bit of practice, and that’s okay! I repeated these steps multiple times until I got the final look I was going for. And if the end product isn’t what you were hoping for, it’s easy to start over by spraying window cleaner on the glass and scraping it off with a razor.
Final Thoughts
This ended up being a hat trick of a DIY project - fast, easy, and quick! My favorite! All-in-all it probably took less than an hour and cost about $50 - most of which was spent on the frame.
Plus, I felt oddly accomplished when my three-year-old told me my mirror was dirty and I needed to clean it. #projectsuccess (I think.)
For more easy DIYs, check out these posts:
Distressed Mirror Tutorial
How to Install Brick Veneer
It’s been SIX MONTHS since my last loft update. What!??? That’s why I’m so excited to report that we finally installed the brick veneer above the kitchenette in the loft! And I can’t wait to show you how we did it. Oh, yeah, and we also installed the kitchenette!
Loft Kitchenette Tile Backsplash
It’s been SIX MONTHS since my last loft update. What!??? That’s why I’m so excited to report that we finally installed the brick veneer above the kitchenette in the loft! And I can’t wait to show you how we did it. Oh, yeah, and we also installed the kitchenette!
Lucius and I have always had a thing with exposed brick. This is evident in our last house, where we uncovered the brick on the chimney running through our kitchen.
And again with the giant brick fireplace in the living room of our current house.
So, when I was working on the design for the loft and Lucius mentioned he wanted it to look kind of industrial, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to add more brick! He was definitely on board. Here’s how we did it:
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Materials for Installation
Brick Veneer (we used 6 boxes for our 40 sq. ft. wall)
Loctite Power Grab (we used 5 tubes)
Square Dowel Rods (ours were 3/8 inch)
Tile Saw, Tile Snap Cutter, or even a Handheld Tile Snap Snipper
Prep Work
First thing’s first - I laid down plastic sheeting to protect our countertops. While the installation isn’t terribly messy (just some brick dust), I knew adding mortar to the joints would require plastic anyway. Plus, placing a little bit of a protective barrier on top of the counters added some peace of mind.
Second, we cut a couple of small pieces off one of our dowel rods to use as vertical spacers. The remaining longer dowel rods were used as horizontal spacers.
Third, we set up our laser level on Lucius' camera tripod to make sure our lines didn’t get out of wack. A large, standard level will work too.
Finally, I laid out my first row of bricks to make sure that the pattern made sense.
Aaand at this point, I was ready for a snack. Much to Lucius’ dismay I ran down to the kitchen to get something to eat.
Brick Veneer Installation
With my appetite sated, we were finally able to dive in! This is definitely a DIY you can do solo, but Lucius and I developed a pretty good system together to get a majority of the bricks up on the wall quickly.
We started our first row by placing spacers along the countertop. Then, while Lucius piped Loctite onto the back of each brick in the line I pre-laid, I followed behind him smooshing the bricks onto the wall, being sure to use my vertical spacers as I went.
A good zigzag of Loctite is all you need. Then just wiggle the tile a little as you smoosh it to the wall. It’s also worth noting that we installed our bricks on unfinished drywall, which I read is a-okay to do!
For our design, we used a mixture of General Shale Providence Series brick veneers from Lowe’s in the colors Carbon and Stillwater. The majority of the wall is Carbon, and I strategically peppered in the red Stillwater veneers.
Once we did a couple of rows like this, we decided to dry-lay several rows at once. This helped speed things up and made it easier to see as a whole how the bricks looked together (specifically the pops of red brick).
As you can see, at this point we only worried about installing whole bricks. This part of the process went pretty fast!
One regret I have is not buying more dowel rods. While the Loctite adheres pretty quickly, we found ourselves waiting a minute or two between rows so the prior row could adhere. We would have saved some time if we could have kept a row of spacers on the previously installed row before starting on another.
Cutting Brick Veneer
Once we had most of the whole bricks installed, we shifted our focus to where we would need to cut bricks - at the edges of each row, around light fixtures, and around outlets.
To get our measurements for these bricks, we simply held them up to where they would be installed, marked the cutline, and ran them through the tile saw!
Luckily, we’re fortunate enough to know someone who lent us their wet saw (which cuts the bricks like buttah), but you can use a tile snap cutter too (though I’ve heard the cuts aren’t always as clean).
I don’t recommend cutting all your end pieces at once - here’s why.
Unless you’re REALLY diligent about keeping your bricks perfectly stacked, your design will likely shift left or right slightly on each row. If we had assumed all our rows were perfectly aligned and cut our end pieces all at once, we would have ended up with a bunch of brick pieces that didn’t fit anywhere.
If we had multiple bricks to cut, we measured each one individually and numbered them on the back. Then we wrote the corresponding number in the space it would be installed on the wall. There were still lots of trips to the garage for tile cutting, but this helped minimize that!
Filling in the Gaps - Take 1
After we installed all of our brick, we let it dry overnight. Much to our relief, none of the bricks fell off the wall!
Now, it was time to apply mortar in the gaps. Here’s what you need:
Materials for mortar
Start by adding a little bit of cold water to your bucket. (Warm water will speed up the drying process of the mortar.) Don’t go crazy adding a ton of water or you’ll end up with so much mortar it’ll dry before you can use it all. About 2 inches of water in a 5-gallon bucket made enough mortar for our whole wall.
Next, slowly add mortar. Using the mixing paddle attached to your drill, mix it together a little bit at a time until you reach the consistency of thick pancake batter. Beware - this is a fine line. Too thin and it’ll make a mess everywhere. Too thick and it’ll be impossible to squeeze out of the mortar bag.
Once your mortar is the right consistency, scoop it into your mortar piping bag (a second pair of hands makes this step much easier!). I’ll tell you here and now - a Zip-loc bag CANNOT be used in place of a proper piping bag. How do I know this? Well…
We couldn’t find a piping bag at the hardware store, so we tried to improvise. See exhibit A.
On the left-hand side, you can see where we made a giant mess in our first attempt at applying mortar. In this case, it was WAY too runny and wouldn’t stop spilling out of the piping Zip-loc bag. On the right-hand side we mixed the mortar thicker, but it was so thick, it popped the Zip-loc bag.
This ended day 2 of our tiling adventure in a flurry of sloppy mortar, curse words, and frustration. Don’t be like us.
Filling in the Gaps - Take 2
Once we bought an actual piping bag, we were finally able to apply the mortar!
Applying the mortar was much more labor-intensive than I expected. If I was doing it myself, it probably would have taken a lot longer. Luckily, I had Lucius to help! And he made it look way easy…
A slow and steady application is your best bet. And don’t freak out if you make a bit of a mess - I’ll talk about how to clean that up below.
A couple of hours after we applied the mortar (when it was no longer squishy but more of a sandy texture), we went back in with our brick jointer to scrape off any excess.
Once everything was good and dry, we were able to work on…
Fixing our Mistakes
There were a couple of items that needed to be fixed before we felt like we could call the installation finished:
Cleaning the mortar off the bricks after our disastrous Zip-loc bag attempt went awry.
Removing the tape from under the mortar where it was stuck to the counter.
Let’s start with cleaning up the mortar.
During our panicked attempt at cleaning up the mortar mess we initially made, we ended up with several bricks that were covered with a thin layer of mortar.
Upon researching, we learned mortar could be removed using Muriatic Acid and a wire brush… so that’s what we did!
I mixed the Muriatic Acid with water per the directions (while wearing the appropriate protective gear!) and applied it to the messy bricks. I realized it worked a little better if I soaked the bricks and then let them sit for a minute.
Once I felt like they soaked for long enough, I came back and scrubbed with the wire brush.
Then, I wiped them down with a paper towel. If I didn’t feel like they were clean enough, I just repeated the steps above.
Once our bricks were nice and clean, we turned our focus to cleaning the tape off the counter from under the mortar. Would it have been a better idea to start the first row of bricks flat on the countertop? Possibly. The world may never know.
Luckily, mortar is surprisingly easy to cut/chip away with a utility knife - so that’s what we did. The line isn’t quite as crisp as I would prefer, but it works.
Final Thoughts
Now that the bricks are installed, I realize how much character was missing from this room! I’m really pleased with how it turned out overall. Obviously, we couldn’t wait to install the lights, and now I can’t wait for the finishing touch… shelves! Continue following along to see the final product! And, if you found this tutorial helpful, Pin it for later!
Need to catch up on our loft renovation? Check out these posts!
DIY Thin Brick Tutorial
My Favorite Houseplants (And How I Keep Them Alive)
Plants have a way of effortlessly bringing a pop of color, life, and energy into any space. If you haven't noticed, I have quite the collection of plants (30 as of writing this post!). And now that everything is in full bloom and thriving, I figured it might be fun to share some of my favorites and how I do my best to keep them happy and healthy.
How to Keep Your Plants Happy and Healthy
Plants have a way of effortlessly bringing a pop of color, life, and energy into any space. If you haven't noticed, I have quite the collection of house plants (30 as of writing this post!). And now that everything is in full bloom and thriving, I figured it might be fun to share some of my favorites and how I do my best to keep them happy and healthy.
Considering the size of my plant collection nowadays, it might surprise you to know that up until just a few years ago I didn't own a single plant!
Before I started scooping them up left and right, I used to shy away from plants, doubting my ability to keep them alive and afraid of wasting money. That is until one day at the park my curiosity got the best of me and I may or may not have plucked this cute little succulent from the ground (still have no idea what it's called) to test my abilities.
It wasn't an honorable start, I know.
Now that I have plants tucked into just about every room, I can't imagine my home without them. I do want to note that I learn more and more about how to take care of my plant babies every day. I’m by no means an expert. Either way, here are my faves and how I keep them alive.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions for purchases made through those links at no cost to you.
Favorite Low-Light Plants
Although we have some areas of the house that are the perfect habitat for plants (here’s looking at you, master bathroom), we have several spaces that are just plain dark. For these spaces, I turn to my tried and true low-light plant faves.
Snake Plant
We currently have two different varieties of snake plants, both of which are relatively new because I killed my last two with root rot (ope!). Snake plants thrive on neglect, and I just love too hard, guys. Basically I overwatered them and killed them. But like I said - I’m still learning!
Either way, I love snake plants for sprucing up a dim corner, like in my dining room and foyer. They add interest, color, and height to what could easily be a boring, empty spot.
ZZ
Pothos
Last but not least is the pothos - also referred to as devil's ivy.
These too come in multiple varieties (variegated, neon, and jade, to name a few) but so far I only have jade pothos. Mine live, you guessed it, in another couple of dim corners of my house - like on top of the fridge and in the dining room. While pothos are a good option for low-light areas, they really do thrive in bright indirect light too.
The one in the picture above is a newbie that came from propagated pieces from a friend's mother plant!
Favorite Hanging Plants
Mistletoe Cactus & Burro’s Tail
Some plants just make a statement, and these are it!
I’m 99% sure this guy is a mistletoe cactus. I love how it looks like a crazy head of hair that just keeps sprouting new strands.
Similarly, my burro’s tail looks like a head of weighty dreadlocks and I can’t get enough. I look forward to trying my hand and propagating this one when I can bear to part with a strand.
I’ve only had these two plants for about a year and a half and they’ve really taken off! They get mostly bright indirect light with a little bit of direct sun late in the day. Plus, I love the hanging planters they live in.
It definitely doesn’t hurt that they have the beautiful clematis trellis that I built last summer as a backdrop!
String of Dolphins
This is one of my absolute faves. I’ve had my string of dolphins also for about 18 months and it has gone bananas! (On that note, there's also a plant called string of bananas that looks similar.)
It used to live in the same window bay as the two plants above but it got so long it started to grow behind the couch! I love having it in the bathroom now - and it loves living here. I’ve actually snipped strands from this gal three times so far to propagate for friends - and she just keeps growing!
I’ve nicknamed our master bathroom “the nursery” because plants THRIVE in the semi-damp atmosphere with bright, filtered light thanks to the frosted windows.
Favorite Goofy-Looking Plants
Ponytail Palm
Another one of my absolute favorite plants is my ponytail palm. (Why is it that I love the plants that look like hair so much!?) But seriously, it’s such a unique-looking plant!
My brother and sister-in-law thoughtfully gifted my ponytail palm to me from The Sill after I helped them decorate their nursery, so it has a bit of sentimental value. Everyone loves getting mail, but to open my mystery delivery only to open it and find a beautiful plant was the bees knees! There a loads of plants on The Sill with some really gorgeous pots (like the one this plant came in), so definitely worth checking out!
Unfortunately, my cats also love this one. This is the only plant my cats chomp on (I assume to floss their teeth)? Luckily it’s not poisonous, unlike MANY other plants (always check before buying!). I've used this bitter lemon spray with semi-successful results. But mostly I've resorted to crowding the space around my ponytail palm to keep the kittens away. The combination of those methods seems to be working a bit since I see some leaves FINALLY growing out.
Pilea Peperomioides
AKA the Chinese money plant. How could you not fall in love with those weird-looking satellite leaves?
I’ve had a lot of luck in all different types of light keeping these guys alive. In fact, I have three around the house right now and they’re all sprouting babies! A good, thorough watering every week to week and a half and they’re good to go!
There are lots of varieties of pilea though, so maybe I should branch out and expand my collection??
Climbing Aloe
I got my climbing aloe as a cutting from a friend a while back not entirely knowing what it was. I’m still only sort of sure it’s actually a climbing aloe, but by the way it’s taken off recently I’m feeling more confident in the name.
As with any aloe and/or succulent, neglect is the name of the game. I’ve also learned rotate this guy so he doesn’t climb only in one direction. I might even try adding some of these moss climbing poles to help it grab onto something.
Ric Rac Cactus
I don’t own a ric rac cactus yet, but I’d love to get my hands on one! I mean, doesn’t the name just describe it perfectly!? The shape of this plant is so cool. I MUST HAVE IT!
Favorite Trendy Plants
Fiddle Leaf Fig
One of the first plants I actually bought was this fiddle leaf fig - most likely because I was seeing them EVERYWHERE at the time. While it’s still on the small side, it’s grown quite a bit over the last couple of years and makes me one proud plant mama. In fact I even bought a more mature one for our mudroom, not to mention the fake one we have in the living room!
Monstera Deliciosa
Another super trendy plant is the monstera and it’s easy to see why!
Pssst, peep that cute lil’ ponytail palm in the back.
These plants with their ginormous leaves truly are show-stoppers. I have four of them now - two of which broke apart from this behemoth the last time it was repotted.
This one on the other hand was propagated from just a few cuttings and gifted by a friend!
Rubber Tree
Yet another plant I don’t own yet - but I will! Mark my words….
There are many varieties of rubber plants. I specifically have my eye on a ficus burgundy for its beautifully dramatic color or ficus tineke because of its gorgeous variegated leaves.
I’ve even enjoyed the look of rubber trees so much that I've painted them! While I haven’t pulled the proverbial trigger on buying a live rubber tree yet, I do own a faux version that I love!
Plant Care Tips
Believe it or not, the list above doesn’t include all the plants around my house. I started to write that post… and it was looooong. Instead, I’d like to share some quick tips I’ve learned during my plant lady adventures that keep my little buddies thriving.
Don't water all your plants on the same schedule
Remember how I mentioned at the beginning of this post that I’ve tended to over-love (i.e. - kill) some of my plants? Well, watering them all on the same schedule is typically what has gotten me in that boat. You may think your plant is thirsty because it’s been a week since you last watered it, but more than likely it’s fine.
A good watering method is to let your plants tell YOU when they want some water. Just look for the warning signs - they’ll typically get droopy or may become less vibrant or drop leaves. And if you’re not sure, stick your finger in the dirt a couple of inches. If it’s bone dry, feel free to water it. You can also use a moisture meter to help with this, but I warn you to not over-rely on them.
Additionally, keep in mind the type of plant you’re dealing with. Most plants can go a LOT longer without water than you realize whereas I don’t know of any plant that will do well in constantly soggy soil.
Drainage, drainage, drainage
As I mentioned above, root rot is my biggest downfall in plant ownership. Proper drainage (and not overwatering) can help with that! Here are a few ways to deal with drainage.
Buy pots with a hole in the bottom (or drill one yourself) and use a saucer for excess water to drain out.
Sometimes pots don’t come with holes or you may not want to drill into them. Here’s how you can deal with that:
Keep your plant in the nursery pot (or another small pot) and prop it up inside of the main pot so that water can drain out the bottom.
Fill the bottom of your pot with rocks or pebbles so excess water has somewhere to go.
Dust the leaves
Do you remember a little thing you learned in elementary school science called "photosynthesis”? Turns out, it’s a real thing! And plants dig it.
But for real - if your plants are dusty, they can’t take in the sunlight they need to live their best lives. So give your plants a little love and wipe them down now and then.
Final Thoughts
There are loads of other plant care tips out there, and as I get more experience under my belt I may do a follow-up post with what else I’ve learned along the way (propagation techniques perhaps!?). In the meantime, feel free to add your favorite tips in the comments. And I’m dying to know: what are YOUR favorite house plants?
For more plant-centric posts, check out these articles:
Tips for Taking Care of Your House Plants
Toddler Bedroom Makeover
When I wrote the post outlining our project goals for this year, I mentioned that our younger daughter’s room was on the list. Given that this was declared the year of finishing projects, we didn’t really plan to tackle it so soon (if at all). Yet, here we are.
Girl’s Bedroom Refresh
You know how I said this was the year of finishing projects? Well…
I tackled a new project and gave my toddler’s room a makeover!
When I wrote the post outlining our project goals for this year, I mentioned that our younger daughter’s room was on the list. Given that this was declared the year of finishing projects, we didn’t really plan to tackle it so soon (if at all). Yet, here we are.
In reality, even though I may not share that I’m actively working on a project, I’m ALWAYS thinking about the rooms in our house that aren’t finished. I’m constantly planning, scheming, or designing something. This room was no exception. (And let’s be real, sometimes I’m planning changes for rooms that are already complete!)
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Where It All Started
At our previous house, I decorated our daughter’s gender-neutral nursery to my liking, not knowing we would move just 6 months after she was born.
When we moved into this house, I was hesitant to displace her just so I could make over her room at the same time we were sleep training (which is already a nightmare in itself). Besides, there were bigger fish to fry. So on the to-do list it sat… for two+ years.
The Inspiration
While we were busy working on other projects throughout our home I was still gathering inspiration left and right whenever I came across something that piqued my interest.
I knew I wanted to keep the area rug that was already in the room and relatively new, as well as the dresser I bought off Facebook Marketplace and refinished a while back. I needed a design that worked well with these elements.
While I was working on this post about color blocking I fell in love with the idea for our daughter’s room and went down a rabbit hole. Over time, I ended up gathering loads of inspiration pictures.
Image 1 / Image 2 / Image 3 / Image 4 / Image 5
The biggest problem with this room was the light-sucking tone of the current paint color. The green was beautiful on its own, but it just wasn’t right for this room. Obviously, I was feeling the coral/salmon/dusty rose tones from my inspiration pictures as well as the idea of visually cutting the room in half with paint… so I ran with it!
It definitely didn’t hurt that I found this picture that makes me giggle everytime I see it in the same color palette. It just felt like it was meant to be and HAD to be incorporated into the design. Plus, it's placed so you can see it whenever you walk down the hallway, which makes me so happy.
The Makeover
A couple of months before I tackled this room, Lucius had foot surgery. Without my DIY partner in crime, house projects were much tougher to accomplish. Aside from that, we were trying to finish up the nagging 5% of the endless projects around the house that were 95% done. As good as it felt to finally cross some of that stuff off, it wasn’t exactly exciting and my motivation was lacking. I needed a simple yet impactful makeover to fuel my creative fire. And this was it!
I started this makeover by gleefully removing this hideous light switch cover. I also had to patch the hole we cut in the wall to rescue our cat after he snuck under the floorboards during our hallway flooring installation.
Next, I had to determine where exactly I wanted to split the room with the paint colors. I decided on a line about three-quarters of the way up the wall for a couple of reasons:
I didn’t want it exactly in line with the top of the window or door trim, which would have been a little boring and predictable.
I knew putting the breakpoint higher up on the wall would bring the eye up and make the room look taller.
To get my line, I used a tripod and attached my laser level. Since the tripod wasn’t quite tall enough, I had to raise it up by putting it in the crib. Whatever works, right!?
From there, I painted a rough line around the room in my base color as I spun the level around from wall to wall. Once that initial line was painted, I taped it off more precisely, then painted the bottom half the same as the trim color - Pure White by Sherwin Williams. The trim and doors are semi-gloss, while the walls are eggshell.
My goal for this room was to LIGHTEN IT UP! White isn’t always the best option to lighten up a room as it can sometimes end up looking muddy. In this case, because I planned on pairing it with a bright coral, it felt like a good call.
Once the white was dry, I painted everything above the line - trim, doors, and all - Wild Salmon by Sherwin Williams in eggshell.
I was INSTANTLY amazed at how much brighter the room was at this point. I still occasionally think the light is on when it’s not. Not only that, but the effect of painting the ceiling and the top portion of the wall the same color really does make the room look larger.
The only problem was that the room felt like it needed a little something extra. Enter: the semi-circle.
Because I’m a terrible blogger and I was in the ZONE, I didn’t take any pictures of this part. But it’s super simple to recreate! Here are the steps:
Tie a string to a thumbtack and press it into the baseboard at the center of the wall.
Figure out how large you want your semi-circle and tie a piece of chalk to the other end. Since my wall is white, I used a light grey piece of chalk.
Hold the string taut and lightly sketch your line.
Then you just need a steady hand to fill it in!
To create a little more dimension in the room, I mixed up a custom color for my semi-circle using several different coral paint samples I already had on hand and adding white.
Future Plans
Of course, a room is never done. In the short time since these pictures were taken, I’ve also added the coral color along the sides of the large painting above the dresser and on the valance of the blinds.
There are definitely other plans I have for this room too, like replacing the nursery chair with some much-needed toy storage.
And as much as I love the mobile above the crib, this room needs some lighting! Most of the bedrooms upstairs don’t have any overhead lighting, but I’d love to enhance the semi-boho vibe going on by adding a swag light with a naturally textured shade, like in the inspo picture below.
Lastly, we’ll need to get a big kid bed soon! I plan on stealing our older daughter’s bed (and probably nightstands) for this room and giving her a new bed she can grow into - like a daybed with a trundle for slumber parties!
Final Thoughts
Obviously, there are still plenty of tweaks I’d like to make this room, but I’m so happy with the changes I’ve made so far. And although my toddler was severely disappointed that her room makeover surprise wasn’t edible (true story), I think she’s gotten over that and loves her new room now. What are your thoughts!?
