Blog Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Hello all!  Since having baby, I seem to have even less time than before (curious.)

I am still doing as many projects and renos as before, but time for blogging about them seems to have vanished.

Instead of letting the blog completely vanish, I've decided to keep my Facebook presence current!  I will be posting ideas, project photos with details, and renovation updates! This doesn't mean that this blog will never be reinstated, just for now this works better for our family.

I would love to see you on Facebook following what we are up to at CasaMorgan!  Please follow us at:  http://www.facebook.com/morgandesign

Hoping to see you all on Facebook, and I would love to hear from you as well!  Feel free to write us at: morgandesigninc@hotmail.com

Love you all!!

Let's Go Up to the Bedroom...

I have been getting requests for some time to sneak a peek at our bedroom.  See my bedroom?  But I hardly know you!

What the heck - welcome to our safe haven.  A 100% dog free and 99% baby free sanctuary.

The prints above the bed are from Costco.ca ($3.49 each - whoop) and framed in an Ikea frame ($14.99 each).  And the bed frame is from Ikea as well (see a pattern) and I have owned it for close to 3 thousand years.

Here is another side of the room - featuring an art project of paint chips (thanks to an idea from YoungHouseLove). 

Well, what do you thing of our little slice of heaven?  Anyone else secretly working on a dining room redo?  Anyone getting really angry with the dining chairs they are re upholstering?

Family Bathroom - A Completed Tale

 When we last showed you what our family bathroom reno looked like (back in March), this is the visual we left you with



There was no drywall, toilet or sink.  And I was 9 months pregnant.  Although it was definitely some progress (sweet sweet progress), it wasn't exactly the show piece I envisioned.  Then things got crazy, thanks to this kid

Well, I am pleased, nope, AMAZED to announce that our upper family bathroom reno is now....*drumroll*..... donesville!  We buckled down, and thanks to some well placed naps on Haely's part, we were able to accomplish everything we wanted to on the project.  Now, my bathroom looks like this

That is a photos of our vanity (which I got for free and repainted/replaced the knobs here), complete with new sink and faucet (which I blabbed about here).  And after 2 years without even having a sink upstairs, let me tell you, it is really nice to brush your teeth so close to your bed.

Here is a photo of the tiled shower stall (which you saw mostly done here)

Close up of the counter corner



And the print I purchased from Costco.ca's photo gallery ($2.99 - yes please!)



Here is a view of the back wall, complete with Hubby's amazing trim work (man, that guy can trim a window)



And finally the stunning pendents that I am slightly (fairly) obsessed with 

Hubby and I are so pleased with the finally product!  It always amazes me what we can accomplish with a little mula and a lot of sweat equity (and a little bad language). 

Because I am a ridiculous person, I am already working on a small (hah) dining room update, which I will share soon.  In the meantime, tell me what you think of the bathroom reno!  Have we inspired anyone to bash out some ugly sponge-painted tiles?  I'm not joking.  They were actually sponge-painted.  Ick.

Oh, Hello There!

Why, hello there!  It has obviously been way too long since our last post (having a baby - kind of a full time job!)

This just in: Pears are delicious

This past long weekend, Hubby let me stop at an antique mall that we pass every time we go up island but never stop at.  It was a-mas-ing!  I can't believe we haven't been there before.  Not only was it huge, but well priced to.  Here are some fabulous chairs that I couldn't stop petting.



And I love me some pretty cups and saucers - this store had litterly 100's of singles.  I was tempted to get a ton of unmatching ones, since I think that would be so charming for an outdoor tea party.  Must start having outdoor tea parties, though.

They also had thousands of old magazine advertisements.  I went googoo gaga for them.  I was super over whelmed by all the selection and didn't know where to even start.  There were car ads, motor oil, movies, liquor, fruit and vegetable ads, and sooo much more.  I thought I would focus on liquor ads.  Here is my $13 worth of ads.

Here is a Hunter Whiskey ad from 1948.  Equstrian chic, anyone? 




But my favorite has to be this SouthernComfort ad from 1957.  It is so badass, it makes me want to pour myself a glass right now.  Hmm, not a bad idea...
























Are you obsessed with 1950's liquor advertisements also? Did your spouse make fun of you as you skipped back to the truck with a stupid grin on your face?  No?



Bathroom Choices

With the never ending bathroom reno still,... well... never ending - I have at least finally decided on and ordered the sink and faucet ("What's that Erin?  You didn't already order those?!") 

I decided on the sink a very long time ago, so this was an easy order.  BOXE by AmericanStandard.

The faucet took a little more thought.  I finally found what I wanted, only to find out it was discontinued.  So, instead I found this faucet.  It was above our original price range - but we said to heck with it.  We will be using this faucet forever, so it might as well be exactly what we want.  So I ordered SERIN by AmericanStandard.

 

They should be here this week sometime, and I can't wait to get things rolling.  Hopefully these will inspire us to wrap this reno up (and start a new one?  Ahem.)

Happy Friday!

My husband and I each have our own collection of spray paint.  I have no idea why this started, but we each have our little stash.  Here is my current selection:

Embarrassing or sexy?  Obviously I've got a few projects on the go right now - can't wait to show you when they're done!

Hubby Permission

As Hubby and I settle into parenthood (okay, not settle - try to survive), my mind has been wondering back to home renovations and decorations.  It was only a matter of time.

A week ago, Hubby turned to me and said "You did a great job re upholstering the chair for Haely's room.  You should tackle the dining room chairs now!"  Done and done!

I'm taking that as permission to not only recover the dining chairs, but also: repaint the walls, build a new dining table, paint the buffet and hutch, stencil one of the walls, and maybe also sew some new curtains.

Here are some dining spaces I have saved on Pinterest that I am looking to for some inspiration while I'm in the early planning stages:

Another Project Reveal

Well, Hubby and I have finally completed a little project that we have been working on for the past 9 months. Now the real work begins!

Introducing the newest member of the MorganDesignInc team - Miss Haely Morgan! This little girl already has us wrapped around her finger, and we couldn't be happier. Maybe now that I'm not the size of a whale we will see some more house projects posted on the blog (but probably not. Lol)

Nursery Reveal

After 9 months of planning, painting, building and endless sewing projects - BabyMorgan's nursery is finally complete! As for the baby, well, it's any one's guess when Bean will arrive but this is the space that is waiting for him or her!

I am so in love with everything to do with this room! Hubby and I worked really hard on a million projects for this room, and it came together just like I had envisioned.

Normally when I decorate a room it comes together piece by piece, rather than starting with a fully thought-out plan. This nursery was the exception. Since I ordered all the fabric online at once, I had to know the direction I was heading in.

I also did my best to create a nursery that will grow with the baby. I knew from the start that I wanted a room that would not only be soothing and peaceful for Baby, but for Hubby and I to (since we will most likely be spending a lot of time in here at all hours of the night).

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Sourcing:

Wall Color: GeneralPaint - TanWrap (CL2791W)

Wingback Chair: I picked up the chair for free, and re upholstered it myself (yeah, I can't believe it either!) in fabric from Fabric.Com ($54 for fabric)

Blue Cushion on Chair: I whipped up this velvet cushion cover in fabric from Fabric.Com ($8.49 for fabric)

Faux Sheepskin Rug: From Ikea (can't find a link online) ($9.99)

Round Foot Cushion: I sewed this cushion from fabric from Fabric.Com ($7 for fabric)

Round Table: I picked this table up on UsedVictoria, and painted the top gloss white ($15)

White Lamp: Scored this lamp base at the DeanParkGarageSale and sprayed is matte white, and bought the shade at Walmart (Lamp $1, Shade $4)

Drapes and Hardware: Sewed the drapes out of fabric from Fabric.Com, and got the hardware from my Aunt Debra ($30 for fabric, hardware free)

Change Table: The dresser from my childhood room (free)

Framed Artwork: Frames from MichaelsCrafts, green print from Ikea, and I made the silver 'M' out of left over metallic wrapping paper (Frames $12 for two, green print $2, 'M' free)

Large Armoir: An antique from Hubby's late Grandpa - I'm sure he would love to know it's being used in his great-grandchild's room (free)

Globe, and 'A' 'Z' on Top of Armoir: Globe from Hubby's childhood room, 'A Z' from Hubby's Stepmom - I just pealed off the floral stickers and sprayed over the dusty pink with gloss white (free and free)

Crib: A gift from Hubby's Mom - a beautiful crib that I drove Hubby crazy picking out (free)

Bunting Over Crib: Homemade by moi with left over fabric from the nursery projects (free)

Blanket On Crib: A beautiful homemade blanket from my Aunt Donna (free)

Black Bird Hanger: A cool gift from our friend Krista (free)

I would love to hear your thoughts so please feel free to comment!

Sweet, Sweet Floors

With BabyMorgan due anytime in the next month, reno wrap ups are in full swing here at CasaMorgan! Mainly - that silly bathroom. Hubby has been working like mad to finish up the half done reno in time for Baby, and it looks like it will be a close race!

With me 9 months pregnant and completely useless, Hubby has had to fair most of this reno wrap up himself (making for an extra happy wife). A few weeks ago, he tackled the floors - one of the last huge hurtles we needed to tackle on this project.

Ripping up the old (read: ugly) vinyl flooring and subfloor

New subfloor in, heated wires in, self leveled, and starting to figure out the tile layout

Floors half installed


Some tricky cutting around the toilet plumbing - Hubby is amazing with that tile saw


Floors all installed and looking amazing!

We went with a Bianco Carara 12" x 24" honed and filled marble tile. The reason I chose a honed and filled tile, rather than polished, was to help a bit with how slippery marble floors can be. I chose to have them installed half staggered - just like we did in our kitchen and laundry room - since we love that lay out so much.

Still lots to go, but at least those floors are looking amazing!! And man is it nice to wake up to toasty warm marble under my toes. Now THAT is living the dream!

Orange Dream

Last night while I was yapping Hubby's ear off about all the little tweets and artwork ideas I have for the house (this is my form of pregnancy nesting. Not folding baby clothes, but by thinking 'we really need a big horse canvas in the dining room') I showed him an orange Hermes print that I was hoping to hang in the entry area. He gave me a thumbs up, and I said thank you since 'I know you don't really like orange'. He replied 'I like orange!' Oh. WELL then - this changes everything!

I started searching photos I had pinned on Pinterest with orange accents - then I realised I, like, totally did that already. In September 2010. Well, I guess I still like it! Here are a few other orange photos that I am finding particularly charming right now

But which room do I put this hit of orange?

TV Hutch Makeover

I recently did a little TV hutch makeover. I love our TV hutch, but I found the two glass panels on the sides were showing all of our movies and gaming systems. You can't make that look tidy.



So I decided to line the backs of them with scrapbooking paper. This way I could hide the mess, get some extra interest into the piece, and it would be cheap and easy if I wanted to switch it out in the future.

Handy dandy scrapbooking paper pad

I selected two patterns that I liked

And opted for the one on the left, as it goes better with the tone of the wood


I cut the paper to size, and taped it to the glass from the back


And it turned out lovely!

And it still looks this great! I'm surprised how well it's held up, and now couldn't imagine it without the paper detail. The bonus? A friend pointed it out sayin that was such a neat feature and asked me where I got the TV hutch. Score.

Simple, cheap redos on furniture - now that's what MorganDesignInc stands for! Have you ever done a mini-project like this before? How did it turn out? Is your stock of scrapbooking paper embarasingly large as well? Or are you actually cool.