FARMHOUSE BATH GETS A MAKEOVER

This blog post is way overdue, but life has been happening at lightening speed! Whew! I know there are no excuses...but things have seriously been so busy. In between the craziness, The Mister and I did find time to remodel our 1970 master bathroom (it came with blue carpet) this past spring. I’ve waited eleven years to do this project and it finally happened! I couldn't be more excited to share it with you guys...

The main inspiration for the bathroom came from our collaboration with @sinkology and their stunning copper sinks & faucets. I really wanted something that would still maintain the feel of our 1820’s farmhouse, but update it and give it some character. Hunting to two vintage dressers to convert into vanities was A TRIP, let me tell you. I searched long and hard for the pieces that would be just right in the space. One day I stumbled across not one, but two, identical (!) dressers that I instantly fell in love with.

The beauty in the mess! LOL!

I convinced my amazing dad, one of the most talented woodworkers on the planet, to help convert the each of the drawers to allow a new drop-in sink to fit into the dresser while maintaining the storage in the three drawers below. We ended up with a nice bit of space for toiletries and storage.

While my dad was working on the dressers, Mr. Maple Creek was patching the walls and laying a new floor from @Lowes. We decided to go with a laminate floor that blended with the rest of the wood floors in the farmhouse. For the paint color on the walls, I chose a bright white paint from @sherwinwilliams to give the space fresh, clean feel. It was so nice to see the previously-tan walls transform!

When the vanities finally arrived I gave them a fresh coat of white chalk paint from Kilz with a dark wax coat over top, and then it was installation time. We had finally reached the point in the makeover where we could install the vanities and put everything in place! To say I was doing a happy dance is an understatement.

For the finishing touches to the space I worked with @1stoplighting to give the lights a new look. It was hard to decide what would look good with the space, since they have so many to choose from. I reached out to their amazing customer service team for help and advice, and they pointed me in the right direction. The mirrors also needed an update, so I went with two that I found from @kirklands.

Overall, I'm so glad I decided to stick with the plan of reinventing vintage dressers into vanities. It ended up being such a fun project and a great way to recycle old furniture for a new purpose! Let me know in the comments, or on Instagram: what's your latest DIY project? Have you ever tried to rework an old piece of furniture for a new purpose? Any ideas for what I should tackle next?

If you’ve followed along with me on this journey thank you so much for all of the love and encouragement during the whole process. Y’all made us keep on keeping on!

#betterhomesandgardens #table #bathroom #countryliving #country #vintagefarmhouse #farmhouse #rustic #summerdecor #sinkology #DIY #1stoplighting #remodel

Fall on the Farm

Hello friends! Happy, happy, happy fall!

It's upon us - a brand-new season. This time of year, this farm is BUSTLING with activity. Pumpkin picking, back-to-school, decorating, football, you name it! The temperatures cool down, the leaves start to change and our family settles into more of a routine.

I find the routine part so calming after a summer jammed with activity. On top of school craziness we also have our annual harvest of all the vegetables we planted this summer. Not to mention the pumpkins...need I say more?

The pumpkins here at Maple Creek are one of my favorite parts of fall. Before we moved to New York, we celebrated fall in a much warmer climate and I just couldn’t get used to my pumpkins rotting before Halloween. That was not a happy aspect of fall for me!

(Rotting pumpkins? Blah!)

HOWEVER, autumn can be so magical and cozy: bonfires, s'mores, blankets, hayrides and football make for a winning combination. While the outside world is turning beautiful shades of color, the inside of the farmhouse gets a makeover as well. These adorable velvet pumpkins from Love Feast Shop are perfect for adorning the tables and mantels. Plus, lots of soft throws, pillows and blankets from Pier One make the furniture autumn-happy.

In the farmhouse living room this year, I decided to purchase three new items for my fall starting point.

I wanted them to be:

inexpensive

reusable

and on-trend

At Kohls's, I found a mirror that provided an amazing focal point for the mantel and laid the groundwork for the rest of the room. The wreath is from Pier One (for under thirty dollars!), giving a neutral dimension where I could add color. The last item I purchased was a warm throw. It was the right color combination to tie in all of the fall goodness together in one spot.

Finding something for each side of the mirror was a struggle. I am a lady who loves symmetry, so I needed to have two of the same thing! I looked at buying bundles of wheat...BUT, for the size I needed it was $50 a bundle, which is just not in my budget.

Last year, I saved some of my cornstalks and decided to just use what I had this year. I bunched them up, took a step back - it was a win! I love to bring from the outdoors to make a space come alive. Bonus points if it's reused or recycled!

The amber glass, on the other hand, was a total accident. I stumbled across them when I was looking for jars to can my homemade salsa. A two-pack of jars was ten dollars - score! - and I knew they could multitask around here.

The other jars are from the Magnolia Hearth and Hand collection. Again, I purchased those without even knowing amber glass would be a hot fall item! I love when things work out like that!

Last but not least, the pumpkins oozing out of the fireplace were grown right here at the farm. We purchase all of our seeds from Harris Seed Company and have worked with them for years. Their seeds are top quality. If we have a good crop, we'll sell or give away the extras to our neighbors.

How do YOU celebrate autumn? What are your go-to decor stores or websites? Are you in love with amber glass and mustard yellow, or ready for what's next? What are your fun autumn family traditions? Pumpkin picking, hay rides, etc.? Let me know in the comments!

Before you leave, one last happy pumpkin picture...

#interiordesign #country #homedecor #fall #pumpkins #lovefeastshop #falldesign #vintgine #farmhouse #fixerupper

BRIGHTEN YOUR SUMMER WITH WORTH LIGHTING

“Where the home is, the heart is.

Our kitchen is the heart of our home. It’s a hub of noise, community, and activity, a gathering place for family and friends alike, which is why it’s so important to have a space that’s both functional and welcoming.

In the 80s, our little farmhouse kitchen underwent a makeover – it was gutted & refurbished with dark cabinets and paneling, with just one window for light. Yikes! If you have followed me for any length of time, then you KNOW the house has been a work in progress.

Some things just need a little extra TLC.

Our solution? We tackled the cabinets by sanding, painting and repairing them to bring some of the vintage country charm back to the farmhouse. No dark woodwork or closed spaces here!

One of the first (and most important) things we did was install recess lighting, which I dearly love, because it helped brighten the space. Despite this, I wanted another solution to give the kitchen that extra bit of warmth over the island we made. (Another vintage find and long DIY project – a story for another day!

I began to search for options that would best fit the aesthetic of our farmhouse...

After scouring numerous home improvement stores for lighting options, to little success, I discovered an amazing find – a company called Worth Home Products. They sold lights that converted recess lighting into pendant lighting.

Imagine my excitement!

I set to work searching for the best option to fit my farmhouse kitchen. When I had questions, I called the company and they were so kind and helpful. I even managed to speak with the wonderful owner, Lori. I was so impressed with her customer service and interest in our home and project!

She offered many options for changing the lighting, and I was glad to have had the chance to get her input on what would work best.

After ordering two of the Brushed Bronze Recessed lights, it was installation time.

When they came I was thrilled to discover I could hang them myself.

Here’s How I Did It:

Step One: Remove the current light bulb.

Step Two: Screw in the new pendant light and slide up the decorative canopy.

Step Three: Step back and enjoy!

Now our cozy little kitchen space feels even more like home. It’s so nice to gather under the lights, and to have a more functional, well-lit room for entertaining guests.

Interested in trying Worth Lighting for your space? Here are my top picks for a vintage farmhouse: (ALL instant pendant style & a breeze to install!)

Left to Right:

1: Instant Pendant Series 1-Light Brushed Bronze Recessed Light Conversion Kit

2: Instant Pendant Series 1-Light Brushed Nickel Recessed Light Conversion Kit

3: Instant Pendant Series 1-Light Brushed Bronze Recessed Light Conversion Kit

4: Instant Pendant 1-Light Brushed Bronze Recessed Light Converter

5: Instant Pendant 1-Light Rustic Recessed Light Converter

#summer #homedecor #lighting #vintage #farmhouse #DIY #easyinstall #kitchen #warm #country #pendant