Weekend Reading
Would it surprise you to learn I’m on a plane yet again? Ha ha, probably not. :) Today I’m landing in Portugal and I’ll be exploring this country for 9 days with a dear travel mate. My friend Gro and I travel so well together and we like to take a trip together once a year so for 2019 we chose Portugal after reading (and hearing) so many stories of its beauty. We’ve got a lot to see in the limited time we have! Our train stops are Faro –> Albufeira –> Lagos –> Lisbon –> Aviero –> Porto. I’m looking forward to the sea cliffs in Algarve and the ceramic tiles in Lisbon and the charm of Porto, and of course the food and wine! Follow along on Instagram stories, I’ll post some views and the things that inspire me most! Favorite links from the week: Such a pretty spring DIY: saucer magnolia flowers. These murals, so vibrant and expressive. I’m a lover of black windows too. An Instagram rebellion: young influencers abandoning “the look”. Five ways to train your eyes to see like an artist. Not surprising: what people think is the most relaxing color. The benefits of letting kids get dirty. Have you been watching the man who solved “Jeopardy”? The Airbnb effect in Barcelona and around the world. Ha ha, true! Every DIY project requires three trips to the hardware store. :) Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/ via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/weekend-reading_27.html April 27, 2019 at 09:37AM
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Noteworthy Trailer Renovations
Lately I’ve been making plans to purchase a little camper trailer, fix it up, and take off on road trips throughout North America, up to Yellowstone National Park, across Canada, and dropping down to the east coast of the USA. And I’d love to tour the Southwest, there is so much to see right here in the USA! I’ve had a few really great road trips in the past. Years ago, Matt and I drove upstate New York through Connecticut, Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and all the way to Boston on a fall foliage tour. Another time we drove in a loop through Arizona, from Tucson to Scottsdale to Prescott and Sedona. And there’s always the quintessential coastal California road trip from San Diego to San Francisco, I’ve done that a few times and it’s the ultimate scenic road trip. There’s a life to be lived towing a trailer or driving a RV and parking it on campsites across the country, and I’m learning there are so many communities and forums with people who share their RV/trailer experiences. I can’t wait to dive into that lifestyle someday soon! I have a secret obsession with trailer renovations, it seems like such a fun challenge and an opportunity to get creative with teensy tiny spaces, right? I spied the work of Cedar + Suede in an Australian magazine that I picked up on my recent trip and was impressed with the three camper renovations they’ve done so far! Check them out, the most recent is the Bumblebee…
Also Dolly the Van (camper) And Vonnie the Van (camper). Tour a beautifully done 1980s camper renovation by All Things With Purpose, I love the black and white palette!
Here’s another fantastic DIY renovation by The DIY Mommy!
Tour this Isla Airstream renovation by The Modern Caravan. (Pink velvet!)
The wallpaper in this Airstream renovation by Bonnie Christine is so fantastic, as are the decorative touches.
Ashley and Mike of Joyfully Growing have some tips about renovating RVs with style!
A lot of these trailer renovations are happening now on Instagram, here are a few notables to watch if trailer life and renovation is your thang!
Any other trailer/RV/camper renovations you’re following? Let me know I’d love to follow along too! . Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/noteworthy-trailer-renovations_26.html April 26, 2019 at 09:31PM
Spring HVAC Tips
As I write this, I’m looking out my window, and what do I see? Dead grass! That means I’m not seeing any snow, which means spring has finally sprung in Winnipeg! Springtime here is a really strange time of year; there are days where we might get weather that’s quite nice, and nights where the […] Original Post Here: Spring HVAC Tips Via Provincial Heating & Cooling - Winnipeg Manitoba Canada - Feed https://www.provincialheating.ca Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/spring-hvac-tips.html April 25, 2019 at 02:25PM
Noteworthy Trailer Renovations
Lately I’ve been making plans to purchase a little camper trailer, fix it up, and take off on road trips throughout North America, up to Yellowstone National Park, across Canada, and dropping down to the east coast of the USA. And I’d love to tour the Southwest, there is so much to see right here in the USA! I’ve had a few really great road trips in the past. Years ago, Matt and I drove upstate New York through Connecticut, Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and all the way to Boston on a fall foliage tour. Another time we drove in a loop through Arizona, from Tucson to Scottsdale to Prescott and Sedona. And there’s always the quintessential coastal California road trip from San Diego to San Francisco, I’ve done that a few times and it’s the ultimate scenic road trip. There’s a life to be lived towing a trailer or driving a RV and parking it on campsites across the country, and I’m learning there are so many communities and forums with people who share their RV/trailer experiences. I can’t wait to dive into that lifestyle someday soon! I have a secret obsession with trailer renovations, it seems like such a fun challenge and an opportunity to get creative with teensy tiny spaces, right? I spied the work of Cedar + Suede in an Australian magazine that I picked up on my recent trip and was impressed with the three camper renovations they’ve done so far! Check them out, the most recent is the Bumblebee…
Also Dolly the Van (camper) And Vonnie the Van (camper). Tour a beautifully done 1980s camper renovation by All Things With Purpose, I love the black and white palette!
Here’s another fantastic DIY renovation by The DIY Mommy!
Tour this Isla Airstream renovation by The Modern Caravan. (Pink velvet!)
The wallpaper in this Airstream renovation by Bonnie Christine is so fantastic, as are the decorative touches.
Ashley and Mike of Joyfully Growing have some tips about renovating RVs with style!
A lot of these trailer renovations are happening now on Instagram, here are a few notables to watch if trailer life and renovation is your thang!
Any other trailer/RV/camper renovations you’re following? Let me know I’d love to follow along too! . Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/noteworthy-trailer-renovations.html April 25, 2019 at 10:26AM
Our Flash Sale for Charity
via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/our-flash-sale-for-charity.html April 22, 2019 at 01:39PM
15 Beautiful Taupe Paint Colors
I’ve had dozens of emails asking me about this kitchen remodel from last year, specifically regarding the cabinet color and my answer has always been, “It’s the manufacturer’s color: Oat by Thomasville.” But the follow up question I get is, “OK, well do you know a paint color match?” Now I do! Some might call this color greige, some may call it mushroom, some may even think it’s khaki but I have always called it taupe, a color that’s the perfect balance between tan and gray, and a desirable neutral. On cabinets it looks amazing paired with matte brass hardware. So I visited all my local paint suppliers, grabbed about a hundred taupe-ish swatches, then grabbed the cabinet sample and compared them all. (This image was taken under the florescent lights at Home Depot. Note I brought them all into the natural light outside for a true comparison resulting in odd looks from passersby wondering what the hell I was doing.) :)
The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender undertones. I narrowed down a great collection of taupe colors for you to choose from! If you’re looking for a pure taupe, consider these fifteen paint colors:
In addition to cabinets, taupe is a really great color for a home’s exterior! I’m considering doing this paint swatch color matching as a series, is there any color you’re looking for that I can help with? A perfect slate blue perhaps? I’m thinking of that hue for a bedroom so it may be next… . Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/15-beautiful-taupe-paint-colors.html April 19, 2019 at 07:34PM
Air Conditioning Tips for Winnipeg
Recently, I wrote a blog post about how spring had clearly sprung in Winnipeg; there was no snow on the ground! Later that afternoon, a flurry hit, a reminder that winter always likes to cling around just a bit longer than you might expect. That all said, it will soon be summer, and when summer […] Article Source Here: Air Conditioning Tips for Winnipeg Via Provincial Heating & Cooling - Winnipeg Manitoba Canada - Feed https://www.provincialheating.ca Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/air-conditioning-tips-for-winnipeg.html April 18, 2019 at 03:34PM
Picnic Ready
I’m meeting my best friend from college on Thursday, we’re headed to Napa for a picnic and to soak up some sunshine since spring as finally arrived. Relaxing with wine and good conversation is just about the best thing in life and I’m looking forward to catching up with her, we haven’t seen each other in over a year. Picnics on a warm day also make for a great date! Grab your sweetheart, pack a few edibles, and head into the great outdoors for some sunshine and laughter. Are you picnic ready? I have a picnic backpack similar to this one that I use several times a year for outdoor picnics, I love it! It’s so great to have all the supplies cleverly stored in one place! Here are nine more for your consideration!
two bottle bag / woven picnic tote / red collapsible tote bristol plaid / insulated tote with table / jungle collapsible tote black laguna tote / 2 or 4 person gray backpack / ascot navy
Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/ via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/picnic-ready.html April 16, 2019 at 08:28PM
Weekend Reading
Weekend hellos! Forgive me for a late post this Sunday, I was attending a dear friend’s 40th birthday party yesterday and celebrating her entry into this decade of life! I feel like my forties have been my best years so far and it’s nice to have close friends joining me! I used to be afraid of getting older but recently I cast that fear aside and decided to look at life with gratitude instead. I’m grateful for good health, a loving family, amazing friends, and more wisdom in my ability to cultivate real relationships, set boundaries, and achieve balance. I wouldn’t trade any of it to be younger! What would you say are the greatest benefits of growing older? Favorite links: Nicely done: the staging in this home by TomKat Studio. I love the modern touches in this Melbourne home decorated in black and white. Spring cleaning: 20 spaces not to forget. Hmmm is this really true? The oldest child is the smartest child. How emotionally intelligent are you? Comfort food in an Instant Pot: spaghetti and meatballs. So inspired by progress made by the Michael J. Fox foundation. Travel tip: take pictures of your Airbnb before you leave. . Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/weekend-reading_15.html April 15, 2019 at 02:28PM
The Impracticality of Hardwood Flooring
My absolute hands down favorite flooring choice for a home is real wood, even more than engineered hardwood. I love the look and feel of real wood in a home, in family rooms, bedrooms, anywhere. Real wood has the warmest look and a softness underfoot that tile and vinyl can’t really compete with. But today I’m sharing my tale of woe regarding my hardwood floors, specifically in my kitchen. My kitchen addition was eleven years ago and I at the time I chose more traditional style cabinetry. If I was doing it again now I’d go with a different cabinet style like Shaker and quartz countertops not marble but that’s not the point. The focus today is on the hardwood flooring, more specifically, it’s impracticality in kitchens. Because I’m a lover of consistent flooring throughout downstairs community spaces, when we added this kitchen to the house eleven years ago I opted to continue the hardwood into the space for seamless flow. The truth is that over time we experienced water damage in this space on several occasions, first where that French door access has to the courtyard, next under the sink and dishwasher, and this month, under the icemaker. I’m not alone in this experience, my parents chose hardwood for their new build fifteen years ago and when their icemaker leaked a huge section of the flooring had to be replaced at great expense. I’ve heard other stories of water damage from friends and clients too because hardwood flooring’s greatest foe is water. Ever since I refinished my hardwood floors in a dark stain a year and a half ago I’ve been anxious about any water that spills on it, whether it’s from the dishwasher or the pet bowl or any moisture spill at all. Aaaaaand just last month, the icemaker started leaking and now look what’s happened to my beautiful floors… they’re buckling from moisture and I will need to have these boards replaced. This wood runs under under the cabinetry which means the cabinets and countertop next to the fridge have to be removed to adequately repair the floors. UGH.
I have a client with a full house renovation right now and she also wanted hardwood in her home and for it to flow into the kitchen. When she asked what I thought I said to her “hell no!” Hardwood is great for foyers and living rooms and bedrooms and home offices or in any space where there’s little danger of water damage. However, hardwood is a terrible choice for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements and if you install it in those spaces, you’re asking for trouble. Thankfully in these modern times we have really good alternatives that look just like wood! I’m still in love with the wood look porcelain plank flooring in the Las Vegas fixer upper … and I really love the look and feel of the luxury vinyl plank flooring in my upstairs studio rental (seen below). So the two best and most practical choices for kitchen flooring are tile and waterproof luxury vinyl, and if you love the look of wood these days you can get it in those materials. (There is also the option of polished or honed cement flooring for those who like the modern or industrial look.) But never ever ever again would I install hardwood floors in a kitchen. If you disagree tell me why! Do you have hardwood floors in your kitchen? Have you experienced water damage or have you been able to maintain them over time? . Via Home Improvement http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://christyjesse.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-impracticality-of-hardwood-flooring_15.html April 15, 2019 at 02:28PM |