It’s no secret that I’m OBSESSED with HGTV’s ‘Fixer Upper’ and Joanna Gaines’ modern farmhouse chic style. Call me a copy cat if you will, but I choose to look at it as imitation – the sincerest form of flattery!
Nevertheless, ever since starting the construction of our new home, I’ve dreamed of adding an accent shiplap wall. Now I’ll admit, I didn’t go at this alone. I had help ordering materials (a special thanks to Brooks Homes) and installation (Rick in Brier Handyman service).
Here’s how it all went down…
The finished product – shiplap dreams come true!
I scoured the internet looking for basic shiplap material, but all I could find was thick tongue and groove pine no longer than 12 feet. My longest board had to be 18 feet so we didn’t see any vertical seams on the wall. Also, the material couldn’t be thicker than about an 1/8 of an inch so that it didn’t stick out beyond the molding. I know, I know – I’m picky!
And then a creative solution…
After hours of frustrating searches and coming up empty handed, my brother walked in my front door with a bright idea! I was literally scratching my head, fixated on my wall conundrum. Suddenly, he said “Why don’t you just use flat panel siding material. I can order it in up to 24′ pieces.” GENIUS!
We had it installed and used a ‘nickel gap‘ method to space the boards out to appear like shiplap. We filled in the nail holes and sanded it down to make it smooth. I finished it off with Benjamin Moore paint (same color as our mill work) and added some accents from HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby, and Wayfair. I’m quite pleased with the finished product….my shiplap dreams came true!
A pantry door pep up is just one of the many DIY decor projects I’ve been up to in our new home in Bothell (more ideas coming soon). I had been thinking of making a central family calendar/to do checklist board and I landed on the pantry door as the perfect place.
Functional…and Practical!
We spend about 80% of our time in the kitchen/great room and I needed something that was functional, yet looks nice. By functional I mean, a space for an organized calendar, checklists, shopping lists, magnetic board to display kids art/Christmas cards, etc., and also an area for kids to do what kids do best…make a mess. I had searched my favorites; Hobby Lobby, Target, Home Goods and Michaels, and came up empty handed on just the right size and functionality. So what’s a girl to do? Make it herself!
I went back to my ‘go to’ online bestie, Amazon, to order my supplies. I could get almost everything I needed without toting my crazy energetic 2 & 4 year old boys to the store. Instead, it’s a simple click on my phone from the comfort of my bed and done. I know, it can be dangerous!
(I ordered two of these so I could just throw away the roller after the magnetic and chalkboard coats. I know it’s wasteful, but it’s way too difficult, potent, and messy to clean)
Starting with a blank slate, this door offered the perfect panels for a nice organized calendar, to-do list, and shopping list on top as well as a great space for the kiddos on the bottom.
First, I taped off the edges, which took the most time overall. I wanted to make sure to get the lines perfectly straight since the black and white contrast is anything but forgiving. Next step was to roll on the magnetic primer. This stuff is potent so be sure to have a window or door open. The more coats of magnetic primer, the stronger the magnetic hold will be. I put on three coats and let it dry at least 30 minutes between each coat.
Door taped with first coat of paint.
I waited a full 24 hours before moving onto the chalkboard coat. This is also why I ordered two of the roller kits to reduce the mess and clean up in between. I used the same method and added 3 coats of the chalkboard paint waiting at least 30 minutes between each coat of paint. Don’t be alarmed, when you open the can… it is blue, not black. This kind of freaked me out and I was hesitant to go for it but in the end it dries black (insert sigh of relief).
After another 48 hours, I started the stencil work. Since I can’t freehand anything that looks fancy, Martha Stewart came to my rescue. Her stencil packs are amazing and so easy to use. I spent about 30 minutes stenciling in a really cool calendar and I’m not gonna lie, it looked really cool. Until it was time to change the month… I had such a hard time removing the chalkboard pen and when it was all said and done, I decided that it was waaayyy tooo much work to update monthly. I ordered a pre-stenciled magnetic template and have found it much more feasible to keep updated. It may not look as pretty, but its practical and I’m at a stage in life where practical is ESSENTIAL.
Deck the halls with boughs of holly… in your NEW house. That’s right, with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, buying a new home is probably the last thing on your mind. (and an afterthought for the other buyers you’ve been bidding against) But if you’re in the market for a new home, here’s your chance to scoop up a piece of real estate in the fastest growing market! (and maybe a little hot coco and cookies too) Because, according to Business Insider,
“It’s house-hunting season.”
“Home sales tend to rise along with the temperature. According to Realtor.com, 50% of homes are sold in summer. But if you want to get the best deal—and avoiding a bidding war—your odds are best when the weather turns colder and the days grow short, says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors.” – TIME
Ready to buy yourself the best Christmas present ever? Let’s chat over coffee and find you the perfect home! Contact me here
Not ready to buy? Stay in touch here:
Full Business Insider Article Here: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-time-buy-home-2017-10
Full TIME Article Here: http://time.com/money/4213128/best-time-to-buy-home/
Wondering whether you should put money into saving for a down payment on a house or start investing it for retirement?
The answer, ideally, is both. By investing in a mix of assets you are putting your money to work in different ways — and potentially hedging against the risks associated with each type of investment.
But most financial experts say retirement saving should be prioritized. That’s because the cost of an average retirement is more than $700,000 — or about 2.5 times that of the average cost of today’s house, according to a recent Merrill Lynch report.
Which should you do first: save for a house or retirement?
“I think for somebody starting out, establishing their core investment portfolio is key,” Todd Smith, a certified financial planner who is president at Level 5 Financial, told CBS MoneyWatch. “It’s going to be a function of cash flow. We’re all stretched to some degree, but if you have a match at work [in a company retirement plan] and then go hard for that house, I think that’s not a bad strategy.”
Because real estate is an illiquid asset, your primary home should not be factored into retirement planning. To access that money, you would have to sell, refinance or take out a home equity loan.
If purchasing a house is a priority, there are important financial factors to consider. First, can you manage the monthly mortgage payments, taxes and home-maintenance costs? Second, will you also be able to still contribute to your retirement savings?
Remember: It’s best to max out company-matched retirement funds or save at least 10% of your annual income for retirement. In the case of most retirement plans, once you reach the approved withdrawal age — 59 ½ in most cases — you can withdraw money without penalties.
If you are renting and not saving for a downpayment, it’s important to invest the money not being spent on housing, and save where you can, Daniel Frankel, Founding Principal at WealthCollab, tells CBS Moneywatch.
“Take an approach that depends on your lifestyle,” Frankel said. “I’m not sure it makes sense to not just rent, if you can just invest. But you have to be willing to invest. You have to be investing whatever you don’t put into [owning a home], if you are just renting.”
Content courtesy of CBS News. ReadFULL ARTICLEhere.
Going green is great for the environment, but that’s not the only benefit. When you make green upgrades in your home, it can also lead to some major savings.
Solar panels: The upfront cost is big, but the long-term savings are huge. Solar panels will cost several thousand dollars to install, but ongoing maintenance costs are very low, and a typical system could save you hundreds of dollars per year. You can even sell your surplus electricity.
Wood furnace: Wood-burning furnaces are relatively inexpensive, and though the yearly savings aren’t as dramatic (about 10% on heating bills), it adds up over the long run.
Insulation: There’s a good chance your insulation isn’t very efficient, especially in older homes. Look into installing floor, cavity, wall, and loft insulation to reduce your heating bills.
Rain barrels: Rain barrels are extremely inexpensive, and provide gallons of free water to use when you wash your car or water your garden.
Geothermal system: OK, so the price tag is scary at first. A geothermal system uses the earth’s temperature to heat and cool your home, but can cost $30,000 to install. But tax credits allow you to get a lot of that money back, and the energy savings average about $1,900 per year. If you plan to be in your home for a decade or two, it’s a great investment.
Rust-Oleum 30 oz Chalkboard Paint
