#hardwood Archives - Slave to DIY

The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn’t Know You Needed But You Absolutely Must Have

Posted on December 7, 2021December 15, 2021 by admin

I’ve been getting some questions from concerned readers: “Where have we been???” They’re assuming we’ve been eaten by the half-finished kitchen. Well…. I’ve been sketching kitchen projects and my adorable Rainman has been fishing. It’s my fault that I approved the purchase of a small boat fixer upper (in addition to the larger boat we already have) and that all equates to FISHING and NOT WORKING INSIDE ON MY KITCHEN. But the Dewalt miter saw on the front porch makes it LOOK like we’re working, so that’s cool. “Sips wine.”

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Anyway, that’s not preventing me from forging ahead and obsessively planning every detail, and occasionally threatening to hire a carpenter if he doesn’t get his rumpus back in the house and start throwing some kitchen together. It’s getting to the point where I may ACTUALLY consider a carpenter… or start wielding tools at opportune moments so he will catch me and feel compelled to intervene. So… the current project (that I have ordered materials for and am just WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO INSTALL): A shelf nook for the range surround.

A shelf nook? Yes, it’s absolutely a thing. Think: incredible use of wall space for storing daily use items like olive oils and favorite spices within EASY REACH of your cooking space. We are in the ~~middle~~ beginning of a kitchen renovation and the focal point of the room is a large hood with a surround that encapsulates the entire space (range, hood, and cabinetry). Having looked at ALL of the kitchens on Pinterest and Instagram, I feel well informed and confident that I have planned all of the details well.

Not sure what I’m talking about? Here are two EXCELLENT representations of my idea by professional designers (and let me give a SHOUT OUT to these ladies/gents, because the amount of nit-noid planning that goes into designing these spaces is really next-level):

Gorgeous walnut shelving inside the hood surround by @studiodearborn on Instagram.

Gorgeous wooden shelving inside the hood surround by @christopherpeacock on Instagram.

Are you IN??? Yeah, me too! Imagine wasting all of that space when you could have usable, adorable shelves (and trust me, you need the storage)!

So, here’s my sketch of the front of our range wall:

The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn't Know You Needed But You Absolutely Have To Have — The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn’t Know You Needed But You Absolutely Have To Have

And here is the sketch of the inside of the right-hand wall:

No fancy design software here! It’s so much easier for me to visualize when I sketch.

One of the most important design elements of this space was functionality: an excellent space to cook where all of the cook’s tools are within easy reach. It’s also important that the space be very easy to clean and hardy. Everything near the stove is a solid surface and non-scorch-able (including the metal upper cabinets). I allowed myself a little leniency with the shelf materials because they are 33 inches from the side of the range and the back of the shelves are still tiled. I briefly considered a shelf OVER the stove (it looks so pretty with the copper pots hanging there) but remembered that I don’t want to clean grease spatter off utensils, pots, and spices every time I cook.

Anyhoo, after I actually threatened my husband with bodily harm for the lack of progress on the kitchen (i.e. fishing/casting on the boat instead of doing interior construction), this is the next project we came to in the build. One of the challenges was that walnut is really hard to find (read: expensive) right now, but since it wasn’t a lot square footage wise, I thought it would be fairly affordable. It was not. Not, to say that little detail changed my mind: I still got my walnut shelves. Just know that the species of wood you choose very much impacts the final cost.

I also wanted some pretty gallery rails to prevent oil bottles from being knocked off and smashing into tiny pieces. Those were also not cheap, but they were necessary both from an aesthetic and functional standpoint. I had already purchased the Carrara marble subway tile for the interior range walls, and I have broken out the relative cost below.

Step one was framing the wall with the size I wanted and thinking about all the 3D things that could affect the functionality of the design.

Since we are doing one wall at a time… it is more difficult. I want to have a functional kitchen for as long as possible through the renovation, so there was an old peninsula with electrical and plumbing in the way on one side.

And then, of course, this little design treasure that I was feeling borderline homicidal about. Don’t worry, I fixed the look, but I’m still pretty torqued the HVAC crew couldn’t reroute the intake anywhere else. The worst part is it robbed me of half of my cabinet space on one side of the stove. NOT COOL. (It currently has a really pretty cover on it, and I ordered a false front for the cabinet so it will be invisible to anyone who doesn’t know).

Step one: Install cement board for all tiled areas.

Step 2: Mortar.

Step 3: Tile.

Step 4: Prefinish the walnut shelves prior to installation. I highly recommend lots of lacquer to prevent warping/staining from spills or drips.

Step 5: Install wooden shelf surround (if you’re using gallery rails, I highly recommend attaching them to the shelves prior to installation). I recommend leaving the shelves unattached until you have completed the grouting process (it’s much easier to grout without the shelves in).

Step 6: Install remaining tile surrounding shelves.

The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn't Know You Needed But You Absolutely Need To Have — The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn’t Know You Needed But You Absolutely Need To Have

Step 7: Grout and caulk (don’t skip the caulk, it prevents fluids from getting behind the shelves and warping them).

The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn't Know You Needed But You Absolutely Must Have — The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn’t Know You Needed But You Absolutely Must Have: Carrara Marble backed walnut shelves with antique brass gallery rails in the kitchen

Step 8: Style: Like everything else in the kitchen, this shelf should be both beautiful and functional. Keep your favorite oils, vinegars, Worcestershire sauce, etc. within reach.

The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn't Know You Needed But You Absolutely Must Have: Styled shelfie all ready to go with a small preserved boxwood, oils from High Country Olive Oil, a carrara marble mortar and pestle, a vintage landscape oil painting, oil carafes/dispensers, and a tiny votif of roses from our last bloom of the season — The Oil and Spice Shelf Nook Inside Your Range Hood Surround You Didn’t Know You Needed But You Absolutely Must Have: Styled shelfie all ready to go with a small preserved boxwood, oils from High Country Olive Oil, a Carrara marble mortar and pestle, a vintage landscape oil painting, oil carafes/dispensers, and a tiny votive of roses from our last bloom of the season

I don’t know if I mentioned this… but I LOVE my shelves!

Price breakdown:

Walnut shelves and lining: From Rockler $199.43

Double brass gallery rails: Vintage Hardware: $250.70

Carrara marble subway tiles behind shelves: Stone Center Online: About $100

Supplies for installing tile and shelves (mortar, grout, nails, stain, and lacquer): About $100

Total: $650.13

If you’re planning your dream kitchen, I highly recommend these!

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Kitchen Crush: Old World Dine In Kitchens

Posted on May 13, 2020May 13, 2020 by admin

Welcome to the first installment of our kitchen inspiration and design series: Kitchen Crush! I am working on an impossibly difficult and involved task: simplifying kitchen design. I soon realized that although I could probably get the design guide down into a bite-sized checklist that people could use without a designer, I really wanted to provide an explanation for a lot of the recommendations and ideas I offer as kitchen options so there are visual aids for each section.

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Watch for our free printable kitchen design guide/checklist, coming soon!

One of the concerns I hear from every client is being afraid that an investment in a shiny new kitchen will result in a dated kitchen in less than ten years (ten years used to be the guideline for remodeling dated kitchens). That is a legitimate concern! I usually point out that it happens a lot faster than that now, because of platforms like Pinterest and easy visual access to what the pros are currently doing. It’s easy to feel sad when you sink a fortune into a beautiful kitchen and then start seeing that the pros are doing something new, something cooler, and you’re already regretting your design choices just a matter of months into the process.

We have a simple solution for that: don’t chase trends. Period. (Watch for our design post on trend chasing, coming soon!)

Pro tip: if you MUST chase trends (we know, you can’t help it that Pinterest keeps showing you that new cool tile shape for backsplashes), follow trends in areas that are cheaper and easier to replace than the bones of your kitchen, including: cabinet color, hardware, counter stools, light fixtures, and, yes, backsplashes. I promise that if you like your existing layout, cabinet style, flooring, etc, with the mini changes I just listed, you can have a whole brand new kitchen for a relatively miniscule investment if you’re itching for a trend change later.

However, back to my point. I advise against trend following. What does that mean? That means use authentic materials, they never go out of style. Rethink what the cabinet companies are telling you that you need to have a beautiful kitchen, and design a kitchen you’ll love forever.

One of the items I talk to my clients at length about is the concept of how they really live, how they really cook, and how they interact from the kitchen on a day to day basis. Do they entertain a lot? Do their kids do homework at the kitchen island while they cook dinner? Do they have multiple family members cooking together on a regular basis?

One of the biggest laments I have regarding the modern kitchen is that the family kitchen table went away, and the table was moved either to a corner or to a completely different room. So, mom cooks in a space far away from everyone and doesn’t get to join in the fun.

So, to start: rethink your space.

What if you had a long space that was an eat in kitchen, plus kitchen, plus dining room? Get out some graph paper and draw the footprint of your kitchen AND dining spaces. What would it look like if the family table was in the middle of the kitchen and the surrounding space held kitchen furniture and cabinetry that holds the things you need for that area?

Think outside of the box, and I don’t just mean the cabinet box.

The kitchen table is just ONE timeless component of your kitchen design, but check out these inspiration images that feature the dining table as the central hub of the kitchen, and tell me what you think!

Kitchen Crush: Old World Dine In Kitchens: From lameredelamule.canalblog.com

Kitchen Crush: Old World Dine In Kitchens: From Minacciolo Kitchens: Minacciolo Country Kitchens with Italian Style

Black French Range, Mary Evelyn Interiors — Kitchen Crush: Old World Dine In Kitchens: From Mary Evelyn Interiors (Black French Range)

French Industrial Country Kitchen Kathy Kuo Blog — Kitchen Crush: Old World Dine In Kitchens: From Kathy Kuo Blog (French Industrial Country Kitchen)

What do you think? Could you see your family living with an informal, in-kitchen table? Are you casual or formal when dining? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Thanks for hanging out with us in DIY land and check out more great DIY and design inspiration over on our blog.

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The Dark and Moody Fireplace Update

Posted on January 17, 2020January 31, 2020 by admin

If you follow us, about a year ago I started thinking about the fireplace (and how NOT enamored with it I was). I dug up some fireplace inspiration in the hopes that I would find something awesome and reasonably cost friendly. The thing is, we have some really pretty millwork around the fireplace, but over the fireplace is an awful TV space, meant for one of those gigantic tube TVs. Aside from the part where it a terrible waste of space, it is a complete eyesore, as well.

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The more I looked, however, the more I realized that I have REALLY expensive taste. The fireplaces I love would require a complete gut, a big mess, and a LOT of money (like upwards of $3000 just for the fireplace surround). So, the alternative is to keep what I have and build upon it. I came up with a design that I think I’m really going to love, that’s very US, and added to it a bit. Rainman is going to kill me when he sees what I added to the project (but ultimately he’ll love how it looks).

This is what we’re starting with (the before):

The Dark and Moody Fireplace Update, Before We Started

Okay, so it’s not really that bad. I should stop my crying and just stay with what I have, right? (insert evil laughter). We both know that’s not going to happen. And, is there a reason that I’m showing the whole wall and not just the fireplace? Oh yes, there is. But, we’ll get to that.

Right now, it is a very classic-ish, plain fireplace with some pretty mill-work and a crazy, giant opening up top. This is a shot of it with the cabinet doors that I ordered from Cabinet Door World. So, yeah, you can make cabinet doors (pretty easily), however, with no working wood shop currently, and very little time, I ended up ordering them instead. The quality is very good and the ordering process was easy. I got them exactly the size of the opening, so I’m sure we’ll need to do some sanding once we dry fit the hardware.

For the color we chose Benjamin Moore’s “wrought iron” and I think it will be fantastic. I’m planning on using it for the cabinets we’re moving out of the kitchen into the mudroom area, also, so this will be a good test run. Check out the tutorial on how we used a great, super cheap spray gun to paint the cabinet doors!

Project tip: We were painting over a semi-gloss, so we sanded with a sanding block first, then wiped down the whole thing and let it dry before painting (a good three coats because of the color!).

The cabinet hardware, from House Of Antique Hardware is still backordered, so I will update once that comes in and we get the doors up, but for now, I couldn’t WAIT to show you how amazing the fireplace looks with a fresh coat of paint! Drum roll, please.

It blows my mind sometimes how much a simple color change can transform a space! (And yes, I’m planning on painting the walls… but there are more dining room projects that have to happen first, like the new doors and the stone veneer on the wall to the left of the fireplace… Welcome to my project A.D.D.)

And one more, just because I’m so in love:

Project Update:

You’ll remember that we weren’t actually done, I just had to show you the paint because I was way too excited. The most difficult part of the project was still to come: actually installing the doors over the fireplace.

A quick word of advice: If you have to work with your spouse, find something that works for you. I find a combination of wine and a mute button work best when he’s doing something for me. I throw in some compliments and thank yous about the awesomeness of his work and shut my mouth. If I have the urge to OPEN my mouth and say something, I open it and insert wine. It has worked out pretty well thus far and has yielded tremendous results.

I ordered the doors so they exactly fit in the opening. That means that in order to account for the fact that the opening is not square and unlevel areas on the mantel, the doors had to be dry-fit, then trimmed down. Now, let me tell you, this is the most Rainman-iest project in Rainman land. It also means that we couldn’t paint them until they were fitted and trimmed.

Full disclosure: I love this man.

First, was the problem of explaining why we needed to build trim above to act as a stop for the doors and fill in the dead space above when the doors are closed. It’s not that he doesn’t understand my “I don’t want a gap above the doors”, it’s just that explaining something conceptually doesn’t always translate to something concrete in his brain. So, a little while later, he devised a solution.

“YES, my love, that will fill in the gap. It’s perfect. What’s the next step?” (sips wine)

Back to Rainman Land:

This installation involves a plumb-bob, multiple levels, obsessive measuring, remeasuring, shimming, shimming again, dry fitting, shimming again. Measuring again. Splitting the difference. Rainman muttering about the lack of squareness in the opening. Let’s just say that I may or may not have started drinking before 5 PM that day (but once again, in my hurry to slap it up there and be done with it, I’m quite sure it wouldn’t have been so downright balanced and lovely in the end).

After it was shimmed (I don’t mean to undersell the length of that process), I held the doors while he aligned the hinges (more wine, more wine, more wine), and eventually, after much careful sanding and trimming, the doors were hung, and had all the clearance they needed to open and close.

Now, we are waiting on it to be not blustery weather so we can take the doors down and paint them. And then we will actually be done.

Update: Finally painted!

Check out our post on how to use this awesome little paint gun and get that professional, WOW finish! You can find the paint gun we used, the critter spray products siphon gun, on Amazon.

I’m really fond of drum rolls, so let’s do that again. Here’s a shot with the doors on and DONE!

And one with the doors painted, on, and CLOSED. WOOT! (Can’t see the TV, can ya, Russ?)

It may seem like a small thing to other people, but this project has been on the list for a long time. It’s just a matter of making it a priority and having the time to do it. But, of course, that makes each little change that much more awesome!

Here is the breakdown:

Project Cost:

Benjamin Moore Paint and supplies: $96.66
Two Cabinet doors: $149.57 (delivered)
House of Antique Hardware 2X Pair of 9″ Smooth Iron Flush Mount Spear Strap Hinges: $43.94

Total: $290.17

And just for fun, let’s see that before and after one more time:

It sure is amazing what some doors, paint, and a light fixture can do to a room, right??? And, here’s a shot with what it looks like with the dining table and chairs (which will soon be replaced, but that’s a story for another day!).

I would love to see before and afters on your own paint projects! Thanks for playing with us and, of course, cheers to all of your updates in the New Year and check out more project awesomeness on our blog.

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Classic, Elegant Christmas Decor Inspiration and Ideas on a Budget

Posted on November 21, 2019 by admin

I’ve been sneaking Christmas decor out of the closet, but I guess I’m not super stealthy. The thing is, I don’t have a lot a lot of energy, and I really have to pace myself. So, if everything but the tree is up before Thanksgiving, so be it. This is my favorite time of the year, and the little white twinkling lights just give me the Christmas feels! So, here is what I have done so far:

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The exterior: If it was up to me, we’d be done. I have wreaths with red ribbons and window candles with automatic light sensors and flickering flames (for about $5 each, I thought these were a steal). Okay, maybe some lighted garland around the porch would be cool, but, we’ll see. Clark Griswold is already harassing me about adding more lights, but I’m standing my ground.

Classic Christmas Decor: Wreaths with red ribbons in the windows and window candles

This is a great example of the unpredictable weather in Coastal NC: My roses are still blooming, my hydrangea leaves haven’t wilted yet, my Christmas stuff is out, and there are still tons of leaves falling.

This is a close up of the basic wreaths: Very basic but should hold up well outdoors, and they were cheap enough that it won’t break my heart if they’re ruined. They’re perfectly matched with the window candles!

This is a great example of “be where you are.” I am not in love with my fireplace set up currently, but it’s where we are, so I just decorated the crap out of it. I am REALLY proud of my garland I put together, with a willow/eucalyptus garland combined with a basic fir garland (if you don’t have any of these, go to Michael’s after Christmas when they’re pretty much giving them away. They’re on racks on the wall and I got the basic lighted garlands for about $5 each. The faux silver dollar eucalyptus and preserved roses arrangement I added as an afterthought and I love the combo. (Check out our great post on how to preserve roses!)

This awesome Ethan Allen Vase I use for every season with different stems because I ADORE it! The faux cranberries make a gorgeous, simple seasonal arrangement (tip: open them outside and let them air out a little… they have a heavy chemical scent but are beautiful once they’ve breathed a little they’re great!).

For the story of why our turtle inspires us, check out the story on Our Instagram!

And finally, I’m still in work on these faux eucalyptus mixed garlands, and there is a great garland tutorial on our blog so you can make your own much more cheaply than buying them! And I’m just loving the cool led cork-bottle fairy lights, if you’re looking for what to do with all those bottles you saved.

How To Make Your Own Eucalyptus-Fir Mixed Christmas Garland For A Fraction Of The Price

I would love to hear what you think about our Christmas style in the comments below! Do you have any Christmas decor traditions at your house?

Check out more of our decor and project inspiration over on our blog. Cheers!

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Mashup Monday 9: 10 Inspired Southern Vermont Fireplaces That Will Have You Planning Your Renovation

Posted on October 21, 2019October 24, 2019 by admin

Even though we are currently living in balmy, soup-pot-climate North Carolina, my extended family hails from Southern Vermont. Sometimes, missing home, I get on Zillow and start searching properties up North. Although I’m quickly dissuaded when I visit during sub-zero winters, there’s no denying the charm of New England, and specifically, Vermont homes. One of the features I noticed during a late night search a few weeks ago was the complete awesomeness of the dreamy, warm fireplaces in Southern Vermont.

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Fireplaces in Vermont have some intangible things that set them apart, from the primitive originals to the new build copycats, I think you’ll love them, too. Check out the gallery!

*All photos are listing photos from Zillow and belong to the respective listing agents.

Mashup Monday: 10 Inspired Southern Vermont Fireplaces That Will Have You Planning Your Renovation; Rough hewn beam mantel, exposed brick, cast iron door, firewood stacking cutouts, and a local slate hearth

I struggle with choosing between the deep/tall primitive style and the cast stone mantel! I’m sure either one could really define the style of a room, though.

Which one of these is your favorite? Please share in the comments below! And, of course, check out more great content on our blog!

Cheers!

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House Porn: Shelter Island Estate- A Private Island Mansion on Flathead Lake in Montana

Posted on August 21, 2019 by admin

I fell into a deep state of depression when I saw that this place sold in December of 2018. My dream of winning the lottery and buying my dream home were put off for the foreseeable future. I still want to share it with you, because it is truly unbelievable. I mean, it’s on it’s own island, as in only accessible by boat, and it’s about as remote as it gets. Yes, I’m in love.

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First the stats: built by commercial real estate mogul Donald Abbey, this monster is 32000 sq ft and sits on 24 private acres. It neighbors Glacier National Park, so the privacy and solitude is unprecedented. The lake is one of the three cleanest lakes in the world. The main house has 5 bedrooms and 8 baths is 24000 sq ft and 10000 square feet of outdoor entertaining spaces, some heated. The entire structure sits on a granite foundation.

He originally listed it for $78 million but it was reduced over the years to just under $14 million.

The main house has a home gym overlooking the lake, an unbelievable wine room, is bathed in hand carved mahogany, natural stone, and, Dude, it has an indoor gun range. A big one.

There is a utility building and an 1,800 square foot workshop on the property that is styled the same as the main home and guest house. The total building space on the estate is more than 44000 square feet, with space remaining on the island for three more compounds.

Photos are from privateislandsonline.com. Check it out!

Views of the house and island:

House Porn: Shelter Island-A Private Island Mansion on Flathead Lake in Montana

The guest house/boat house has two additional bedrooms and four bathrooms and houses another double boat garage. Before I skim over that little fact, let me tell you… There is a rail system that takes the boat from the lake directly into the boat house with a garage door that drops guests INSIDE the house. Seriously? Coolest thing ever. The guest house is 5289 sq ft with nice amenities like two granite fireplaces and a steam room.

Main House Exterior Spaces:

The copper conservatory:

Living Spaces:

House Porn: Shelter Island Estate-A Private Island Mansion on Flathead Lake in Montana, Custom Iron Railings Detail Leading to Main Hall

The Kitchen:

Office (Part of Master Suite):

Formal Dining Room:

The Wine Room:

Cool Features:

Main House Boat Garage:

The Master Suite:

Additional Guest Spaces:

The Devil is in the details, and they’re AMAZING:

Maybe one day it will be back on the market again someday… I could definitely see myself living here. Could you? Tell me your favorite part of the house in the comments below!

Check out more of our great content on our blog! Cheers!

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House Porn: The Coolest Luxury Bunker For The Zombie Apocalypse

Posted on August 14, 2019 by admin

It’s not everyday that you find a home that appeals to your zombie-apocalypse-prepper side and your interior designer side. If you’re fortunate enough to live in the UK you can see this place, the Martello Tower Y, in Bawdsey, Suffolk.

For 1,250,000 Euros, or about 1.4m dollars, you can own this award winning “Martello Tower,” originally styled after similar structures built to protect against a hypothetical Napoleonic invasion in the 16th century. Built in the early 19th century, and redesigned in 2010 by architect Stuart Piercy and designer Duncan Jackson, it is a masterpiece and is a designated future historical site. With a breathtaking ocean and marsh view, it doesn’t get much better than this.

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This place is currently a holiday rental, so even if you can’t afford the whopping price tag, it’s a two hour ride by train from London, and I’m betting, a wonderful get away.

It is listed by The Modern House, London: 020-3795-5920, and all photo credits go to the listing agency.

The exterior is intriguing in an unbelievable ocean setting:

House Porn: The Coolest Luxury Bunker For The Zombie Apocalypse. View of the bunker across the marsh

If you didn’t know what you were approaching, the first clue that something magical is on its way is the entrance stairway to the incredible, weathered door.

The exterior patios offer ocean views and fresh, sea air.

The rustic brick entrance with smooth finish wood and glass doors is your first clue inside that the home will offer an array of architecturally stunning staircases, passageways, and rooms, cleverly tucked away.

Multi-level living spaces offer the opportunity for both warm, family spaces and bright, open living spaces with a tremendous view.

The tricky part in this type of home would be making cozy bedrooms that still get good natural light. The architect and designer decided on light portals in all of the downstairs spaces that prevent them from feeling like caves. The bedrooms and baths are unique, comfortable, and modern.

There is something very attractive about the safety of living in a bunker, and of course, the cozy feel of the home juxtaposed with the modern coolness of the architecture. I could definitely see myself living here. Could you? Tell me your favorite part of the house in the comments below!

Check out more of our great content on our blog! Cheers!

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House Porn: An Artist’s Masterpiece in Alabama

Posted on August 5, 2019August 5, 2019 by admin

I have a confession to make: I’m bored to tears with white. There was a time when texture and color were okay, and i desperately miss those days. I recently found a place where every surface: every wall, floor, fixture, and cabinet door has interest. Like a breath of fresh air: hand carved details, custom wall finishes, hand hewn floors… I love it all. Check out the home tour in photos below.

The listing, at 2740 Abingdon Rd, Mountain Brook, AL is 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, and a sprawling 4337 sq. ft. The listing photos are the property of the Realtor, Brooke Wahl, at ARC realty and can be reached at 855-822-3469 for anyone interested in purchasing.

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The exterior:

A two acre lot feels big and is beautifully manicured, perfect for outdoor entertaining and family time. Sculptures are placed throughout the landscape, rolling hills, and stone gardens and patios. The pool is a tasteful addition and blends with the rest of the exterior seamlessly.

Birmingham Alabama artist's home with incredible textures and finishes — Exterior stone, chimneys, and descending rooflines

Special spaces:

I felt like Alice in Wonderland exploring this place, and the details are incredible. One of my favorite places? The art studio.

The interior:

Deep autumn hues wrap the entire interior in a warm, homey hug, yet it’s sophisticated and creative. Extensive recessed lighting, and warm wrought iron fixtures and chandeliers, ensure that it’s still bright even with the maximalist style and textured walls, ceilings, and floors.

c2505216b535fd30653e6ae2d622f3b2l-m11xd-w1020_h770_q80 — Living area with real wood paneling, beams, and modern lighting

c2505216b535fd30653e6ae2d622f3b2l-m33xd-w1020_h770_q80 — Guest bathroom with marble and glass shower, iron sconces, textured walls, and wood plank ceiling

What do you think? Are you ready to ditch those boring white walls for texture and layers of color?

Thanks for checking out our post! Get more awesomeness on our blog. Cheers!

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House Porn: A Birmingham Home Sexy Enough For Vampires

Posted on August 1, 2019 by admin

Every once in a while you stumble across a home that absolutely takes your breath away. I had no idea, until we attended an event there last year, that Birmingham, Alabama has some unbelievable real estate. This particular place is downright sexy. It has everything: adult entertaining spaces, a gorgeous stone exterior, and stunning panoramic views. For a cool $2.4m you can own this little slice of heaven, perched on the side of a mountain, overlooking the city.

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see full disclosure at the end of the post.

All photos are the property of the listing agent Stephanie Robinson, with Realtysouth at 866-243-8436.

This home tour begins with a stunning stone exterior, custom windows, amazing curved rooflines, and incredible views.

Front entrance — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Drone view of stone Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Side view of stone Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Front entry, stone house in Birminghan — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Driveway approach, stone home in Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Stone patio with wrought iron railings overlooking Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Stone wrapped patio overlooking Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Outside entertaining space overlooking Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Outdoor entertaining space overlooking Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

View from the back patio into Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Inside, the common spaces are elegant and thoughtfully designed. Exposed beams, soaring ceilings, exquisite light fixtures, rich hardwood floors, and crisp clean lines define the home.

Interior entry way, stone home in Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Soaring windows and ceilings, stone home in Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Arched ceiling beams, soaring windows and ceilings in living space — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Common space in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Common space in stone Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Birmingham stone home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

View into kitchen with exposed beams — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Kitchen island, exposed beams, butcher block — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Kitchen with exposed beams and subway tile — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Kitchen and steel and glass windows — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Kitchen, breakfast, and keeping room — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Breakfast nook with steel and glass windows — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Cast stone mantel, soaring ceilings and windows, beams, and natural light — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Keeping room with custom windows, soaring ceilings, and exposed beams — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Half bath with one of a kind fixtures and mirrored wall — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

The master suite is generously sized and features a flowing and open floor plan. It’s absolutely stunning.

Walk in shower with stone walls — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Master bath in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Master bedroom in stone Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Master Suite in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

The home office is absolutely dreamy and filled with light.

Gorgeous traditional home office with natural wood paneling — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Home office in natural wood paneling with exposed beams and tall custom windows — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Guest spaces are welcoming and luxurious.

2nd Bath in Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Guest bedroom in Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

The downstairs entertaining areas are my favorite part of the house and are just as beautiful as the upstairs.

Downstairs entertaining area in Birmingham — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Pool table in entertaining area in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Pool table and stone staircase to entertaining area in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Stunning circular stone staircase in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

More stunning spaces:

Bath tub in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Hall spaces in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Bath in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Guest bedroom in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

And what entertaining mecca is complete without a fantastic wine cellar?

Wine cellar in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

Downstairs living space in Birmingham home — Vampire worthy stone home in Birmingham

How much would you pay for a place this awesome? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Thanks for hanging out and check out more of our projects and DIY on our blog. Cheers!

*Legal stuff:

I am honest about my experiences with different products and write because I enjoy it. I do however, have the opportunity to earn money for my writing, also.

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Mashup Monday 7: Inspired English Kitchen Details from Tom Howley

Posted on July 24, 2019August 6, 2019 by admin

I stumbled across Tom Howley sort of by accident. I kept pinning these gorgeous kitchens to my Kitchen Crush board on Pinterest, and then I started noticing that the ones I really loved were from just a few different cabinet makers. There’s a catch, though, Tom doesn’t make cabinets in the US, which is probably why I’d never heard of them before. But, maybe if we spam him with requests, he’ll open a cabinet design store here just for me. Check out the awesomeness they put into every detail and design.

*This post may contain affiliate links (I am not a Tom Howley affiliate). Please see full disclosure at the end of the post.

All photos are from tomhowley.co.uk

I’m just showing you these, so you too, can dream of a fantastic English kitchen. One of the details I love most is that the cabinets are all installed like builtins. I ADORE this detail. There is no recessed toe kick like American designed kitchens. Doesn’t it look clean and wonderful? (Imagine not needing to sweep out from underneath the cabinets every time you cook). The other main difference seems to be that there is nearly as much attention paid to the surfaces that you don’t immediately see as the exterior finish on the cabinets.

The inside of every drawer and cabinet is beautiful. Underneath the cabinet. The toe kick. Everything. Gorgeous.

Tom Howley Kitchens, Base Molding in lieu of recessed toe kick

Below you can see the builtin dish pantry that is just gorgeous. Real wood liner, interior lighting, and glass shelves highlight serving ware. The knobs are gorgeous and the glass is perfect. How perfect is the curve on the island seating (in the foreground)???

The combination of open shelving (cabinets without doors) and pantry style hidden storage in different depths really gives the kitchen character. You’ll notice with all of the designs that they alternate the depths of the cabinets, not just the height, to add interest. Even in one color, this kitchen is far from uniform and totally stunning.

Built in drawer organizers are just exquisite. No IKEA here, just perfectly crafted organized kitchen-ness.

Spice nooks built into the range alcove in the same color as the cabinetry, protected from heat, but handy while cooking. Sigh. That’s definitely on my list.

Top notch, professional cooktops, in an easy to clean finish: check.

You can see the quality and craftsmanship of the drawers and the detail in the finish and design. I also love that they added a mini backsplash in the same quartz. It’s all incredibly clean.

The mantel top look is very classic, and it’s a beautiful blend in the same hue.

Close up of the details around the inset drawers and awesome hardware.

Not only is the built in beautiful, but it has strong wooden shelves on the bottom (the lower part without glass doors) for everyday dishware and use.

One of my favorite things about Tom Howley kitchens is that they’re designed for real, actual cooking. I don’t think I’ve seen one without this very functional design that ensures cabinets are not exposed to the cooktop heat. The cooktops are fully enclosed with well vented hoods. I LOVE it. It makes so much sense.

Close up of hardware details.

This is such an amazing shot. The built in pantry/dish cabinet is completely framed in and just appears to have always been there, on that wall. Beautiful. And I love the color against the light floor.

Another shot of total dish pantry awesomeness.

What I really dig here, again, is the variation while it’s still uniform in color. There is molding variation, missing doors, glass doors, depth changes… but all still cohesive and lovely. Did you happen to notice that even with the cooktop on the island, there is still a vent above, flush with the ceiling?

Exquisite details in the drawer for organization and integrated dish drain on the countertop.

The finish doesn’t get much better than this, does it?

These open shelves achieve the same look as open shelves, except I’m betting this is way more usable space as there’s less concern about falling dishes and they’re a bit more protected from dust build up.

Open shelving at a different depth integrated into bank of wall cabinets.

Even the wine rack integrated into the island is awesome.

It just so happens, this is totally our plan for building in our fridge and freezer, except we’re going to take it all the way to the ceiling. But, yes, fridge and freezer flanked by pantries. It’s gorgeous.

But, I’ll bet your pantries aren’t this beautiful inside. Know what I’m saying? There’s no beautiful wood finish with built in organizers on the doors. Tom, are you listening?

No detail is overlooked. Seriously? Check out the side of the pantry. Also, don’t miss the string of task lighting perfect for this work area.

But, the details just get better. Carved labels inside your pantry??? Yes, I mean it. And, oh yeah, I can have a usable workspace, with the stupid toaster and crumbs, that can be closed off from view the rest of the time? Yaaaaaaas.

Favorite. Kitchen. Detail. Ever. Tom, you had me at mouse door.

You can see more labels here (I don’t know that I’d go this far, because I like to move things around so other people in my family can’t find them). But, I love the idea. and that it’s an available option.

Okay, so the next few are just to show you how amazing the interiors of the pantries are. I’m just blown away because we just don’t do this here. It’s next level.

Aren’t they just amazing??? I’ve considered a trip to the UK just so I can visit a showroom.

Tom, if you’re reading this, please come to America. We love you.

As for the rest of you, read more of our awesome blog here. Cheers!

*Legal stuff:

I am honest about my experiences with different products and write because I enjoy it. I do however, have the opportunity to earn money for my writing, also.

Slavetodiy.com is also a VigLink affiliate advertiser which works similarly.