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Custom Bathroom Vanity Plans
When Bridget and I demo’d the bathrooms, we took a quick look around to see if there were any vanities available that fit our size and desired mid-century look. We pretty quickly assessed that there was not anything available that we wanted. I decided I would build a floating vanity in the en suite bathroom and a standing vanity in…
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Year 4 Home Renovations Update
It feels wild to type out 4 years. It has gone by in a blink! This year’s list was quite extensive and even though we did not complete all the projects, I’m so impressed with what we did finish. And although it is not home related, our biggest project of 2023 was having a baby! Discovering we were pregnant with…
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Bemelman’s Inspired Nursery
When I found out that I was pregnant, I immediately began looking for nursery inspiration. To be honest, I needed something to keep my mind occupied with anything other than baby related things. Completing this nursery project kept me slightly sane during pregnancy and I couldn’t be happier that our baby now has a very adorable room! My goal was…
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No Fail Plants for a Suburban Chicago Garden
I’ve done a lot of trial and error with perennials over the last 4 years and today I’m going to share my no fail plants for a suburban Chicago garden. These are the plants that I put in 4 summers ago and are still thriving, or the plants that I have found need minimal care. Everyone’s soil is a little…
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Gardening Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To
Today I'm sharing those gardening mistakes I made in hopes that someone can learn from them!
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Kitchen Lighting Plan
We are nearing the final stretch of our kitchen renovation and now it’s time to talk about the fun stuff! Colin is taking care of everything important, like making sure the house is structurally sound, walls, floors, etc. Meanwhile I get to pick things like a kitchen lighting plan. Although it has been a lot of fun, it is also…
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Steps to Renovate a Kitchen
We’re more than halfway through our kitchen project, so today I wanted to share the steps to renovate a kitchen. The process will likely look a little different for everyone, but this post should help outline the major steps you need to complete. We don’t claim to be professionals, but rather two people who have learned a lot along the…
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A Photographic Look at My Past Kitchens
If Nancy Meyers is known for her spectacular movie kitchens, I could be known for my spectacularly bad rental kitchens. One thing that my parents have always taught me is to live below your means. That way you always have savings for a bad day and can spend money on life experiences. I certainly took this advice to heart as…
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2023 Garden Plans for Zone 5B
Chicago has seen almost a week straight of bright warm sun with temperatures in the upper 40’s and it has set my brain to garden mode. Mid-February seems like a great time to start dreaming about Spring and the garden, right?! I think having a plan before gardening centers open helps you stay on track and avoid impulse purchases. Not…
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How to Budget for a Kitchen Remodel in 2023
When I still thought we would renovate our kitchen in 2022 (lol), I shared this kitchen design plan in July. Unfortunately we had to make some concessions due to budget and things have changed quite a bit since then. I’m still thrilled with our new design, but I wanted to share what changed and what you can expect when renovating…
