What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever hauled around in your car?

P.S.  Yesterday I decided I should actually use my Facebook page and Twitter account – a novel concept, right?  Anyhoo, I will be posting sneak peeks into what’s going on at the flip that you won’t find here on the blog.  A little insider’s scoop, if you will.  Hope you’ll check’em out!  Facebook here, and Twitter here.

P.S.  Until now, I’ve hosted all of my images on Wordpress, but starting with this post I’ll be hosting them on my Flickr page.  I’ve heard that it should speed up the loading of this blog (yay!), so we’ll see if it actually happens.  Other than that, you should not notice any difference in the way the blog looks/feels.  Anyhoo, since this is a transition there may be some bugs, so please let me know if you notice anything wonky happening.  And by all means, if you have any advice on this subject, I’d love to hear it!

Before we got ahold of it, the front yard at the flip was a hot mess:

The house was barely even visible behind two humongous magnolia trees that totally obscured the roof and most of the exterior – which might have been a good thing, given the not-so-lovely appearance of the house at that time.

And not only were the magnolia trees obscuring the house, they were blocking out so much sunlight with their dense and low-hanging limbs that grass couldn’t even grow over much of the yard – mmm, mud yard – just what everyone wants!

Jason and I knew that the trees were awesome so we didn’t want to cut them down, but we didn’t really know what could be done to (a) let the grass grow, (b) let the house be seen, and (c) let potential buyers mosey up the sidewalk without getting whacked by branches.  After we asked around a bit, my aunt came up with this brilliant yet common-sense solution – lift their skirts!!  (Her words, not mine!!).

Enter Landscaper Jared – you might remember him from such adventures as Fun With Big Machines and Backyard Oasis.  I think it’s only fitting that the Landscaper Jared series gets a third installment, don’t you?

Anyway, Landscaper Jared shimmied right up those ginormous magnolias with a rented chainsaw in one hand and his life insurance policy in the other – kids, don’t try this at home!

Those low-hanging branches didn’t stand a chance!

After we waited a few hours and didn’t hear any sirens, we swung back by the flip and were greeted by this awesome sight:

Have you ever seen so many branches in your entire life?  It took three trips to the dump to get rid of that huge pile.

After the magnolias were pruned and the ground was touched by sunlight for the first time in decades, we knew that anything we planted would finally have a chance for survival – no more mud pit!!  We trekked over to Home Depot and bought a slew of bushes, plants and flowers – red tip photinas, holly bushes, purple ferns, and impatiens.  Once we hauled them back to the house in Landscaper Jared’s truck, we spaced out each plant and flower on either side of the house:

That gave us a chance to eyeball the arrangement and spacing before Landscaper Jared planted all those puppies:

In no time, the front of the flip was looking about a thousand times better.  But even though the beds full of ivy were no longer, the front yard was still begging for some new sod:

Landscaper Jared laid about a pallet and a half of St. Augustine over the bare spots in the front yard:

Curious how Landscaper Jared got the grass to curve around the flower beds oh-so-perfectly?  I was too, until I spied Landscaper Jared with his secret weapon:

A machete!!  Apparently he just gives the grass a few whacks with his trusty machete and he gets a perfect cut every time – man, I wish I had known that when we were laying sod in our backyard!

The lawn has now settled in and is happy as a clam, and the new plantings are looking fab.  Have any of you tackled laying sod before?  Got any landscaping tips or tricks up your sleeve?  Fill us in!

My client had recently purchased a clean-lined microfiber sofa in chocolate and a pair of contemporary sage green swivel chairs with rounded backs that she absolutely loved – unfortunately, she realized that her awesome new furniture just wasn’t working with the mismatch of furnishings that she currently had in the room.  Here’s a quick peek at the “before” of my client’s living room, which is open to the kitchen and dining room:

Since the living room is where my client and her family hang out and entertain, the goal for this room was to create a comfortable yet sophisticated space that is perfect for either family game night or a room full of guests. Working with the existing palette of chocolate brown and sage, I added touches of metal, glass and wood to create this inviting and contemporary design that her whole family is sure to love:

The backdrop for this room is the existing beige wall color – it acts as a great neutral base for the rich tones and pops of color that will be brought into the space. Here’s how the rest of the plan breaks down:

Rug.A fabulous rug can be hard to find, and this gorgeous piece anchors this space and ties the whole living room together. By replacing the existing burgundy rug with this 7.6 x 9.6 contemporary, lighter-toned rug, the living room is instantly brightened and feels more cheerful. The sage and brown accents tie in perfectly with the chocolate sofa and sage green chairs, while the blue introduces a beautiful and somewhat unexpected accent color into the room.

Floorplan. My client and her family have tried numerous furniture arrangements and are comfortable with their existing floorplan, so we’re leaving it like it is – with just a few minor tweaks. Moving the sofa several feet out from the wall will narrow the gap between the sofa and the swivel chairs, and keep the ottoman from floating out in the middle of the room. The extra space behind the couch can now be used for a console table that provides the perfect opportunity for a little personality (we’ll get to that later).

I also provided the client with an alternative floorplan (below), in case they ever decide to shake things up a bit.

Furniture. My client already had some great basic pieces for this room, and I was super-excited to find new furniture to complement the existing sofa and chairs and really up the sophisticated and contemporary vibe of this room. Here are the details on her gorgeous new furniture:

~ Ottoman. The family of five needs room to spread out, so this tufted leather ottoman is perfect for extra seating during Wii tournaments, or they can just put their feet up and relax. I especially love this ottoman because of the slatted base which provides an awesome place for woven baskets filled with games and Wii controllers, folded blankets, or cushy floor pillows. A silver, hammered tray would be beautiful on top of the ottoman and would provide a sturdy place for drinks.

~ Media Center. The long wall across from the French doors is begging for a sturdy entertainment unit. This affordable combination of a media stand and etageres will give the family ample storage for DVDs, and still allow them to display personal photographs and accessories on the open shelving. In a deep chocolate brown, this piece will balance the sofa and add some needed weight to that side of the room.

~ Console Table. This glass and metal console table is sleek and stylish, and its curved metal base is pretty sexy. Centered behind the couch on the back wall, this console table will anchor a gorgeous vignette that the entire family will be able to enjoy from the kitchen and throughout the room.

~ Side Table. I love this side table – its metal base is rustic and the curved legs are so unique. The maple tabletop helps blend the light-toned cabinetry in the kitchen with the rest of the space – and it’s always nice to have a place to set your drink!

~ Dining Table. The existing dining set ties in beautifully with the maple cabinets in the kitchen – however, I’d love to see my client stain the table in a deep walnut tone to blend the wood tones in the kitchen with the chocolate woods throughout the living room. Now they’ll have a beautiful contrast between the blond, graphic chairs and the rich, stained wood of the table.

~ Dining Chairs. This striped outdoor fabric is the perfect choice for reupholstering the chair pads for the dining chairs – easily wipeable, this beautiful cloth can stand up to three kids while it adds another layer of interest to the dining area.

Lighting. Lighting is the perfect way to create a cozy ambience in a room, and my client is sure to love these beauties:

~ Capiz Table Lamps. A pair of these shimmering capiz lamps on each end of the console table will instantly add texture and interest to the room. This duo will frame a beautiful art print (discussed below) that will be hung above the console.

~ Metal Floor Lamp. The addition of this bold, metal floor lamp will brighten the corner to the left of the barstools. These touches of metal throughout the room provide nice contrasts with the smooth, rich woods around the room.

~ Wood & Chrome Ceiling Fan. While the existing white ceiling fan is certainly functional, this contemporary, lighted fan ensures that every aspect of the room is cohesive (and adds a bit more light!).

~ Contemporary Chandelier. This pair of chandeliers is really a star in this design. Centered above the dining table, these sculptural chandeliers are totally unique and exciting, and the glass shades will add a touch of sparkle to the dining nook.

Curtains. Tying in perfectly with the swivel chairs in the living room, these sage green curtain panels will look fabulous hung wide and high on either side of the French doors, as well as the window in the kitchen. The curtains can be drawn during movie-time to ensure that everyone can enjoy the show without a distracting glare. Black or oil-rubbed bronze curtain rods would totally complete the look. If my client wishes, bamboo blinds can be used to add another layer of texture to the French doors and window in the kitchen.

Artwork. Since my client already has beautiful artwork that she loves, I have blended her existing art with a new piece. It would be a great touch for all of the artwork to have coordinating frames and mats – the existing frames can be spraypainted a chocolate brown, and cream-colored mats would look fabulous.

~ Multi-colored tapestry. The colorful tapestry that is currently unframed will look amazing framed and hung on the wall behind the dining table.

~ Framed text. My client already found a great location for her framed text (by the bar in the kitchen), so it’s staying put!

~ Triptic prints. The set of prints is also staying put – kind of. With the lamp placed in the corner, it would look best if the prints were rearranged in a vertical line to the right of the lamp.

~ Abstract art print. This piece is perfect for the space – the blues and greens tie in beautifully with the rug, chairs and curtains, while the unexpected splash of red keeps the living room from looking too “matchy-matchy.” As an added bonus, this colorful piece is a great complement to the existing artwork.

Throw Pillows. The final touches to the space are throw pillows for the couch and chairs. These off-white pillows are crisp and clean and pick up the cream in the rug. – two of them will look great on the chocolate couch. The brown and cream crewel pillows are my favorite, and by placing one on each chair the chairs will instantly mesh with the chocolate sofa.

So there you have it!! A fresh new living room that really captures the family’s style and needs for the space. What do you guys think?

This post is shared with Hooked on Houses and DIY Day on A Soft Place to Land.

Images courtesy of cb2, Pottery Barn, World Market, JC Penney, Fabric.com, Overstock, Contemporary Rugs, Home Depot, and Art.com.  Floorplans by Floorplanner.com.

Want a sneak peek at what’s going on at our flip at this very moment?  Check it out:

Oh yeah, that’s right – it’s my brother-in-law on a ProTrac.  [A ProTrac is like a skid loader that you stand on - and a skid loader is a piece of equipment that you can attach different types of tools to, like buckets, augers, trenchers, etc. - don't worry, I didn't know either until yesterday.]

And what is he doing on that crazy piece of equipment, you might ask?  Well, he’s going to move this:

over here, to raise the ground level after we removed the original pool decking:

He started leveling things out yesterday by hand, and after about 4 hours of constant work it looked like this:

[Are you oohing and aahing over the pool?  Wait til you see what it used to look like!!  Don't worry, I'll fill you in on what's been going on with the pool a little later.]

Clearly it was time to part with the $160 it would cost to rent a ProTrac – using the machine will speed this process up by about 4 days.  Talk about a worthwhile investment!!

Wanna see how that big pile of fill dirt wound up in the driveway?  If you were following my Tweets, you know it was no easy feat!!  Here are the pics, thanks to my hubby’s quick work with his camera phone:

Maneuvering that dump truck down the alley and around all the power lines and the dumpsters was apparently a total nail-biter.  And they had to do it twice!!  Luckily there was no big disaster (although the hubby said he hid in the garage during the power line scare . . . I should hope so!!).

Now you’re up to speed on today’s activities over at the flip – things are moving so fast and looking awesome, so hopefully it will be on the market in no time!

What’s the biggest piece of equipment you’ve ever used?  For me, it’s a drill  - what about you?  A table saw?  A jack hammer?  Maybe you’ve conquered the ProTrac!

Be sure to swing by DIY Day over at A Soft Place to Land – you’re sure to find some fab DIY projects to either admire or attempt yourself!

Anyway, yesterday was awesome because we finally got to pick out the hardware for the cabinets at the flip!!  I was shocked when we counted up all of the hardware that we would need – 33 pulls and 50 knobs.  Doesn’t that seem like a ton?  I guess it’s not when you really think about it, because we needed hardware for the kitchen (and pantry), jack ‘n jill bath, laundry room bi-fold doors, bi-fold closet doors in the second bedroom, and a built-in desk in the fourth bedroom.

We were afraid that we would have a tough time finding hardware that we liked, but we were definitely wrong!!  Our first trip to Home Depot yielded these beauties for the jack ‘n jill bath and the built-in desk:

[I know my pictures can't do them justice, so I added in their glamour shots from the Home Depot website]

Aren’t they pretty?  I think they are going to look fab in those two secondary areas – they have some personality while still remaining affordable.  Excellent!

Restoration Hardware was the next stop on our quest for hardware.  We fell in love with their hardware when we were buying pulls and knobs for our own master bath – they have some really beautiful, classic designs.  On the downside, they are pretty darn expensive, so we promised ourselves that we would only buy hardware for the master bath.  Here’s what we chose:

I love them!!!  Want to hear something funny?  We actually had a bag of leftover hardware to return to Restoration Hardware that I hadn’t peeked into in about 6 months – when we got to the register to buy the new stuff and return the old stuff, it turns out that we had picked the very same knobs again!!  I guess we must have really liked them, right?

And you probably noticed that we got two sizes of pulls for the master bath – that’s because the drawer fronts in front of the sinks are pretty big, and the drawers in between the two sinks are much smaller.  Using two different sizes of pulls will add a little visual interest to the vanity, and keep everything in scale.

By the way, if you’re thinking about buying hardware from Restoration Hardware, I would advise planning ahead – most of their hardware is special-order only these days, which is kind of a bummer.  They still have a little stock left over in the back so we were able to score all of our hardware in the same day by driving around to two different stores, but otherwise we would have had to wait for a week.

Next we were off to Lowe’s – we were hoping that they had a few different styles of hardware that Home Depot didn’t have.  Turns out, Lowe’s has a much better selection of hardware – I was totally impressed!!  Take a gander at all of this playground o’ hardware:

Four whole sections of hardware!!!  And most of it was in-stock (as opposed to special order), so I was a happy girl.  I absolutely love this collection of hardware:

This collection is chunky and very heavy to the touch, which is a great quality for hardware to have.  I love how sturdy it looks, and I think it’s going to look great in the new kitchen.

We were pretty consistent with the hardware throughout the flip – almost all of it is satin nickel, except for the polished nickel in the master bath (for a little extra swank).  We think that will make the house feel even more cohesive, and hopefully it will all look great with the other finishes we picked out.  I can’t wait to show you guys the house when it’s all finished!!

So now I’ve spilled the beans on the hardware in the flip – what sorts of goodies adorn your cabinets?

Images courtesy of Restoration Hardware, Lowe’s and Home Depot.

Luckily, there was some serious eye-candy along the way.  Check out some of these gorgeous slabs of granite that we saw at the contractor tile place:

Seriously, it’s crazy to think that such beautiful materials were dug up from the earth – it’s so awesome!  I drooled, I fawned, I caressed each and every slab.  Then I had a reality check and moved along . . . slowly.

By the end of Wednesday we had picked out the marble countertop for the master bath:

the travertine countertop for the jack and jill bath:

and the countertops for the kitchen.

We also picked out this gorgeous glass and marble tile backsplash for the kitchen (which we picked up on Thursday) – it looks fab with the granite and will be such a great focal point looking from the den into the kitchen:

For the bathroom off the kitchen, we picked out white subway tiles accented with taupe glass 2 x 2 tiles for the shower walls and 8 x 12 marble tiles in a herringbone pattern for the floor – I can’t wait to see how it turns out!!

The laundry area is tiled in a honed travertine (still waiting to be grouted):

The master bath will be done all in matching marble, with the floors done in 12 x 12 tiles, the shower walls in 3 x 6 subway tiles, and the shower floor in a tiny hexagon tile – I am beyond excited about this bathroom and I hope they’re finished soon so that I can show you pictures!!  Here’s how it’s looking right now (not too exciting):

We had a minor faux pas with the tile for the master shower – there was a miscommunication with the supplier and they gave us crema marfil porcelain tile rather than crema marfil marble tile.  Both of us just referred to crema marfil, and assumed we were talking about the same thing.  The mistake wasn’t discovered until we lugged those ridiculously heavy tiles back to the house – and the porcelain tile has a distinct grayish cast that doesn’t match the marble – oops!!  That’s the reason behind one of our many repeated trips to the tile place.  Lesson learned – always refer to the full name of the material when you’re speaking with a supplier, and always check inside the box before you leave the store.

Whew!  So busy but so fun.  And I still can’t believe how quickly things are moving along with the flip.  I swear, it’s going to be finished and ready to put on the market before I have a chance to blink!

So now you’ve heard what countertops we chose for the flip – what do you have in your house?

Don’t forget to leave a comment on any post through Monday, June 22, for a chance to win a ton of awesome products from Gorilla Glue in the IGTBH Gnarly Giveaway!!!  More details about the Gnarly Giveaway can be found here.

This post is shared with Hooked on Houses.

Hey there! I LOVE your blog, and your transformation is absolutely amazing. I bought a 35 year old home and have really been busy with it, so I completely understand.  I didn’t have the money to completely renovate our kitchen, so most of the changes had to be cosmetic. I attached the before and after of our 70s kitchen. I actually did this entire project in a week (after getting home from work at 5pm each night!). I worked really hard, but I was glad to knock it out in one week, and was pretty happy with the result. And all for under $3000!  ~ Beth

Here’s the 70s kitchen that Beth started out with – functional but totally lacking in style:

After a week of late nights and tons of elbow grease, Beth had this stunner of a kitchen to show for all of her hard work:

Amazing, right?  Here’s what Beth did and how she did it:

(1)  Pick a tight color palette. Beth definitely planned ahead before she tackled her kitchen makeover, right down to the color of the accessories.  Pops of fire engine red keep your eye moving around the kitchen and provide great contrast to the simple, black cabinetry and stainless steel accents.

(2)  Bring the cabinets into the 21st century. Beth’s kitchen cabinets were a blast from the past, but they were in great condition.  Instead of starting from scratch, she made the smart (and cost-effective) decision to paint the existing cabinetry (check out a tutorial here).  After a few coats of tinted primer and black paint, Beth’s cabinets no longer screamed “70s”!!  Switching out the old brass hardware with new chrome knobs was another easy fix that modernized this kitchen in a snap.  (Tip: Use a tinted primer when going from light to dark – it will help you get to the desired color faster and let you get away with fewer coats of paint).

(3)  Increase functionality.  Beth’s kitchen had tons of unused space in the middle, so Beth made the perfect choice to add a kitchen island – talk about a feature that every homeowner wants!!  Now she has extra counterspace, additional storage, and a place for two barstools in her spacious kitchen.  And the best part?  That stunner of an island was a steal at only $200 from World Market.

(4)  Add some luxurious touches.  There’s no doubt about it, stainless steel appliances are the “it” thing to have in your kitchen these days.  Spending a little extra cash for these snazzy appliances will add a bit of luxury to your kitchen, and will also pay off in a big way when it comes time to sell your home.  And in Beth’s case, she found jaw-dropping deals at Sears (where we also got our kitchen appliances, and where we’ll be getting appliances for our flip) and practically stole her new goodies for under $2,500 – I’m so impressed!!  The icing on the cake is that Sears delivered Beth’s gleaming, new appliances in just 2 days.

(5)  Let there be light.  Beth replaced her outdated ceiling light with a simple modern fixture from Home Depot that perfectly compliments her shiny new cabinet knobs and gorgeous appliances.

(6)  Stay grounded.  What’s the use in sprucing up the rest of the place if the flooring is still blah?  Beth was able to instantly update her old linoleum with some great new flooring from Home Depot in an earthy tone.

I still can’t get over the fact that Beth completed her entire makeover for under 3 grand, including the new appliances – way to go!!!  Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Beth’s transformation – and be sure to stop by Beth’s blog to check out her other DIY projects!

P.S.  When it rains, it pours!!  Beth’s getting two back-to-back features this week, today here on IGTBH and yesterday on Young House Love. Lucky duck!

And thanks to Christy of A Lil’ Welsh Rarebit for giving me the cutest award ever – you rock!!

Want to see your own DIY project or makeover featured on IGTBH?  Send it in to itsgreattobehome@yahoo.com, we can’t wait to see it!

Yeah, I couldn’t wait to rip that stuff off the walls.  Well, we’ve come a long way from the funky wallpaper of yesterday.  Now there’s a whole new breed of wallpaper that is pretty funky, too – but in a good way.

Several wallpaper companies have developed paintable wallpaper – it comes in just about any pattern or texture imaginable, and can give your room an awesome look in no time.  Take this beadboard wallpaper from Home Depot, for example:

Wouldn’t this look great in a bathroom or dining room with a chair rail on top?  It would be so much easier and quicker to install than the real thing – no nailing or measuring, and it’s completely prepasted so you just have to get it wet and slap it on the wall.  And a roll of this nifty stuff covers 56 square feet for just under $22 – quite the bargain, if you ask me.  Here’s what it could look like in your home:

And if beadboard’s not your thing, don’t fret.  This paintable wallpaper comes in just about any pattern that you can think of, from linen to stucco and everything in between.  Here are a few of the patterns available from Graham & Brown to get you thinking:

Don’t like white?  Just paint it!  That’s the beauty of this unique wallpaper.  Take a look at how Sarah over at Thrifty Decor Chick used metallic paint to highlight the gorgeous pattern of her painted wallpaper panels:

Awesome, right?  And Sarah’s creative idea shows how you can use paintable wall paper to create unique (and affordable) wall art in no time.

So what do you think about paintable wallpaper?  Not your thing, or right up your alley?  What’s your favorite pattern?  I think mine is that amazing leaf pattern from Graham & Brown . . .

Click here for some other fun wallpaper ideas.

Images courtesy of Thrifty Decor Chick, Graham & Brown, Home Depot, Better Homes & Gardens, Lynn Morgan Design and My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.  Graham & Brown paintable wallpaper is also available at Design Public.

When Maria and her husband bought their home a few years back, they were greeted by this lovely bathroom – from a faux marbled countertop to baby blue tiled walls, their bathroom was just begging to be brought into the 21st century:

With their own two hands (and the help of some willing family members), Maria and her hubby wasted no time giving their outdated bath a total overhaul:

After some seriously hard work, the result is awesome – fresh, clean, and completely updated.  And once a really snazzy window treatment is added, this fully renovated bathroom will be sure to knock anybody’s socks off:

Here’s what they did, and how they did it:

1.  Out with the old.  While the old bathroom functioned just fine, all of the finishings were a serious flashback to another era.  With a hammer, chisel and a little elbow grease, those tiles came off the walls, the sink and cabinet were ripped out, and the tub bid farewell.

2.  In with the new.  Removing the tile from the walls left unsightly patches, so the walls were retextured and given a fresh coat of paint for an instant update.  New rustic tiles from Home Depot replaced the outdated mosaic on the floor and provide a pretty contrast to the new toilet and fab pedestal sink.  With a beveled mirror, new baseboards and an added electrical outlet for much-needed functionality, this bathroom now has classic features that will stand the test of time.

Great job, right??  I have a weakness for pedestal sinks, and I’m totally jealous of that huge window.  For more details about Maria’s fabulous makeover, head on over to her blog, Ranch Dressings.

Want to see your own “before and after” transformation featured on It’s Great To Be Home?  Go ahead and send it in to itsgreattobehome@yahoo.com – you know you want to!

It was with memories of hardwood floors and freezing feet that the hubby and I hit up our local Home Depot with a mission – finding an area rug for our bedroom.  We had an idea of what we wanted – something neutral that would go with our colorful duvet cover that we currently have on our bed, as well as our navy and cream quilt that sometimes makes an appearance and replaces the duvet.  We definitely needed an 8 x 10 rug so that there would be enough rug to stick out from under three sides of our king-sized bed, and we wanted the new rug to be cozy – no more cold tootsies for us!!

And then we found it.  Perfection.  A cream-colored frieze rug that was just begging to go home with us:

Ain’t she a beauty?  And a bargain to boot!  (Although now we’re gnashing our teeth because it’s gone on sale!)  We somehow managed to shove this ginormous rug into my car, took it home and finagled that rug under the bed as fast as we could.  And let me tell you, lifting that bed is no joke!  Here’s our awesome new rug, looking all cozy in our bedroom:

I love it!  This rug has tons of texture and is super soft, so it feels great underfoot.  And I love the way it breaks up all the wood in the room, but doesn’t steal the show away from the bed.  And no more cold feet for us!

What’s the first thing your feet hit in the morning?  Carpet?  Wood?  Tile?  Rug on carpet?  Do tell!