Centsational Style

Here we go, starting a new year! I’m a little late in getting this post up, it’s hard to get back to work after a lazy week off, but I’m finally feeling recharged and ready to go. :)

This time of year always feels so good to me, the promise of a fresh start and a new calendar year. It’s also a time of year to look back on what you’ve achieved, that’s the nice thing about having an online journal like this, I can pat myself on the back for everything I created, everything I accomplished, and everything I learned.

I’m finishing up my new office space and will feature that soon, hopefully next week! Meanwhile, I rounded up some of my favorite content, a few space renovations, some DIY projects, and few amazing places I had the opportunity to visit and write about last year.

Here’s a look back at the Best of 2018!

Design Articles

Every other week I’ll write about trends or classics in interior design, this year there were at least a dozen but these resonated most:

mixing metal finishes in bathrooms / alternatives to white shiplap

blue kitchen cabinets / terra cotta floors / suspended kitchen shelving trend

Space Makeovers

You know me, I love a great space renovation! This year I featured four that I remodeled, and one client that I guided through her kitchen renovation.

black and white bathroom / flip house kitchen / kassie & david’s kitchen

flip house bathroom / laundry room refresh

DIY Projects

I’m an incurable DIYer, if I envision something and need to make it happen, I do it myself! These are my five favorite projects (with tutorials) from the year:

ocean inspired resin art / pantry shelves with dividers

modern subway tile installation

no sew curtains and pillows / resin top desk

Resources

Most of my articles on resources flow from my own search for something, be it a piece of furniture or a decorative object or space makeover I’m working on, and I love to share my online finds with you.

single handle kitchen faucets / hip house plants

black + white pillow sources

abstract artists to know / minimalist mirrors

Travel

Second only to interior design, travel is the thing that excites me most! I was fortunate to visit new cities I’ve never seen and a few new countries too!

snapshots from seattle / the best of belgium / walking around bergen

cool things to do in austin / prague & overtourism

And the most popular article of 2018 was….. my reflections on the “sea of sameness” in design.

I look back on 2018 I consider it a difficult year, mostly because of the fact that I lost my best friend and it took about two months before I felt like I could face the world and do good work again. I still think about that experience every day, and mourn her loss, but I hear her voice in my ear telling me to keep moving forward, creating and designing and sharing it with you, which is my plan for 2019.

February will be the ten year mark for me (what? wow!!) If you’d suggested to me in February of 2009 that I’d be where I am today, I never would have believed it, but that’s the power of putting yourself out there, working hard, and having that work resonate with readers.

So from the bottom of my heart, I am so thankful to all of YOU who continue to read along. Cheers to a creative, exciting, productive 2019!!

*This post brought to you in partnership with Lowe’s.

Happy New Year’s Eve friends! Today I’m ending the year sharing one of the things I do best: taking a mundane space and giving it a style makeover on a budget!

My design studio has a small bathroom but it was so drab I couldn’t take it. It had nice new vinyl floors and decent shower tile but the rest of the space was boring in my eyes. Since I work here during the day I wanted it to be more than just functional and to give the bathroom a chic look.

I’ll start with the before and after shots so you can compare!

The two biggest changes were adding the black and white tropical leaf pattern to the walls with peel and stick wallpaper, and modernizing the space by changing the vanity. Today I’m sharing all the ways I did it with tips on how you can do the same!

Vanity Upgrade

The vanity before was oak and old, so I opted for one that was fresh and white and found one that fit the space perfectly.

I considered a few vanities with feet but I was restricted in my choices by the fact the vinyl flooring was cut around the old vanity. Since there was no old flooring to patch the floor with, this meant my options were limited to a cabinet that would fit inside or on top of the old vanity’s footprint.

Enter the Project Source 30” vanity from Lowe’s, the perfect solution! This vanity was the exact size I needed. I originally had my eye on the 30” vanity with drawers, another really nice looking option from the budget friendly Project Source line of vanity cabinets. Sadly the drawers would not work with the plumbing so I opted for the Project Source 30” cabinet door model instead.

This line of vanity cabinets is very affordable and they have a clean and fresh design in a style that blends with just about any decor! What a great upgrade to the old oak vanity!

30” Project Source vanity with drawers / 30” Project Source vanity cabinet

I opted for a oil rubbed bronze pull and knobs to add contrast and give it a modern edge. (They are a matte black finish despite the “oil rubbed bronze” label).

Adding a new vanity required adding a new faucet too! This glossy black stainless steel sheen appealed to me, it adds contrast but also has traditional lines just like the vanity.

Introduce Pattern

Bathrooms are a favorite place I like to add wallpaper! This Tropical Leaf Pattern is a peel and stick version available at Lowe’s, it is available in three colors. Isn’t it great?!

Note this wallpaper doesn’t have a perfectly matching vertical repeat, can you spy it? It’s hard to tell at first glance, the busyness of the leaves detracts from it, but be aware of it if you choose this pattern. I found that a little frustrating since the leaves don’t exactly line up from strip to strip, but I just rolled (ha ha) with it.

The wallpaper is more like contact paper with its peel away backing and adhesive back side but that means it could be removed effortlessly in the future. Not that it will happen anytime soon, I love the bold black and white tropical print!

Swap the Light Fixtures

This space had a 30 year old flush mount light before I changed it to a 2 light cage pendant a gray tone that would drop down and add shape and personality to the space. The bathtub faucet and shower head are brushed nickel so I played off of that tone.

Add Curves with a Round Mirror

I love round mirrors in bathrooms because those spaces have a lot of angles, so the round mirror adds necessary curvature. This round mirror from Lowe’s has a beautiful thick two tone frame in warm gold and black, I love how the gold adds just a bit of warmth to this black and white space.

Here’s another peek of the space as you walk in, the bamboo shade is Levolor and it’s from Lowe’s I’ve used this shade in half a dozen spaces over the years, I love it!

There you have it, that’s the tour! What a difference right? I love the new look!

Final style tip! Don’t be afraid to have fun and mix metal tones and sheens in bathrooms, I used four, a new record. :) Warm gold on the mirror, glossy blackened stainless steel on the faucet, black hardware, and brushed nickel on the light fixture!

Be sure to check out Lowe’s line of Project Source vanities for your next budget friendly bathroom makeover!

*This post brought to you in partnership with Lowe’s. All product reviews, opinions, and photos are my own!