Home

VELUX Skylights

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of VELUX Skylights. All opinions are 100% mine.

We are in awe of the difference the VELUX No Leak Solar Powered “Fresh Air” Skylights have made in our Man Cave.  We knew more lighting would be great for the space, but we had no idea how great of an impact natural light would make in the room.

Here is the before:

The room was dark and always felt very closed in with the low slanted ceilings.  Our only natural light source was a small window on one end of the long room.

Here is another before photo:

And here is the (amazing) after:

We removed the popcorn ceiling and painted the slanted ceiling the same color as the walls.  Once the skylights were added, the slanted ceiling (which once made the room feel closed in) now acts as a fifth wall and open up the room.  The room appears to have grown!

Randy and the crew at Circle City Skylights (serving the Indianapolis area) did a gorgeous job on the skylight installation and made use of extra space by cutting into the crawl space.

For one set of skylights, a built-in bench was added into the wall.  We now have a pretty window seat right next to the pool table.  It is perfect for taking a break while playing pool or reading a book!

Under the other pair of skylights bookshelves were built.  We now have extra storage for books and other miscellaneous items.  I also can now have live plants in the room – something that was never possible with the previous low lighting.

Our VELUX skylights are solar powered, which means we can open and shut the windows (and skylight blinds) with just the touch of a button.  We use a remote to open them.  We have our windows and blinds programed to open and shut together.  There is also a timer option which is perfect for skylights in a bedroom.  I would love to wake up to the sun as my blinds slowly opened!

There are also rain sensors outside the skylights.  We have the peace of mind knowing the skylights will shut if it rains and love VELUX’s No Leak warranty.

We selected dark charcoal black-out blinds which add a fun (and unexpected) pop of color when they are shut.  The blinds are perfect for shutting out light when we want to watch TV.

Here is one more look at the room before (notice how that ceiling once closed in the space):

And the after – notice the fifth wall (find more fifth wall inspiration at www.whyskylights.com):

We are completely thrilled with our brighter space and would recommend VELUX skylights to all our friends and family (whyskylights.com)!

I used to shy away from entertaining in the Man Cave since it was dark and not very welcoming.  We now are excited to share our space with guests!  My husband’s man cave may actually now become the family room…

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

 

   

DIY

DIY Open Shelving

Our kitchen nook needed a little something, so I added elegant DIY open shelving.  It is an easy project – I did this solo one morning!

There is a large empty wall in the space, and I have struggled with decorating it since we first moved it.  I tried stenciling it (see more details on that stencil HERE) and eventually added shiplap (see that DIY tutorial HERE).

Although I loved the texture the shiplap brought to the space, I still struggled with what to put in the space.  I felt my bench and hutch looked cluttered in the space.  I dream about building a large built-in buffet, but we have other large projects that need to come first.  I decided to build some inexpensive open shelving. I began by taping out my plan for the shelves and added some faux lighting (I’ll talk more about this later) above the shelving.

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

For this project, I used:

  • 2 10″ x 8′ boards
  • 6 brackets ( I bought these from Lowes)
  • 3 wall lights (I found mine on Amazon)
  • gold spray paint
  • primer
  • paint
  • Electric sander
  • Drill

I began the project by sanding down/smoothing my boards.

I added a couple of coats of primer and a couple more coats of paint.

I “installed” my lighting.  I looked everywhere for battery-powered wall lamps without any luck.  I ended up finding some gorgeous wall lights on Amazon and decided to add them to my space.  I’m hoping my electrician (aka my dad) will help me install the lighting down the road, but it will probably prove to be a little tough since I added shiplap.  However, I love the look my (faux) lights add to the space!

After the lights were added, I installed the brackets for the shelving.  I spray-painted the brackets to match the finish of the lights.

I added my painted boards, and the open shelves were done!  The entire project only took me a few hours (solo) to install.

I styled the shelves with some plants and white dishes (click HERE for an inexpensive way to get the look).

I now love this wall!

Where could you use some open shelves in your home – if you don’t already have any?

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

Shop the Post
Home

Fifth Wall with VELUX Skylights

Adding a Fifth Wall with VELUX Skylights made a HUGE difference in our bonus room (also known as the man cave).

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of VELUX Skylights for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Our man cave is in the process of getting a gorgeous makeover thanks to VELUX No Leak Solar Powered “Fresh Air” Skylights.

Adding a Fifth Wall to the Man Cave | VELUX Skylights

The room spans the entire length of our three-car garage, and it only had one tiny window at the end of the room.  The space has always felt dark and closed in.

The popcorn ceilings were recently removed so we could make better use of the large slanted ceiling. With the skylights, we wanted to make the most of our ceiling, also knows as our fifth wall.

Four Skylights were added to the North wall of the room, and we worked with Randy and the crew of Circle City Skylights for the skylights installation.  The skylight crew began by cutting into the dry wall in two sections where they would install two skylights in each space.

Circle City Skylights are 5-star skylight specialists for VELUX skylights, so they are well-trained and extremely knowledgeable on skylights.

Since we had quite a bit of crawl space behind the walls, we used the extra space to our full advantage.

The support beams were rebuilt by Randy and his crew to allow for the four separate skylights.

Once everything was in place and ready for the skylights, the roof was cut away.

Light instantly flooded the space with the four new skylights.

The skylights are solar-powered with energy-efficient glass. We will have peace of mind with VELUX skylights because they come with a no leak warranty on both product and installation.

It was amazing how much of a difference the skylights made in the man cave (whyskylights.com).  Light fills the space and makes the room feel larger.

Solar skylights blinds for light control will be added because this is where all of our television watching happens.

What was the ceiling has become a fifth wall and makes much better use of the space (Find more 5th wall design inspiration at www.whyskylights.com). The man cave already looks so much larger and more inviting, and we all find ourselves wanting to spend more time in the room (much to my husband’s dismay). We’re so excited to be adding a fifth wall with VELUX skylights.

Once the skylights were installed, we began discussing how to make the best use out of the area below the skylights.  Our plan was to make a bookshelf under one of the pair of skylights.

And a bench (with a shiplap wall) under the other pair of skylights.

The bench and the bookshelves have been crafted and are finished.  I cannot wait to show you the final reveal.  I never thought I would say this, but the man cave is now absolutely gorgeous!  The man cave is usually limited to my husband and his friends, but I am now so proud of the room and would love to entertain there.  The man cave has been transformed into a gorgeous space the entire family will enjoy!

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest  

Seasonal Decor

Summer Home Tour | Sincerely, Sara D.

I am excited to be sharing my summer home tour (along with several other bloggers) for the Seasonal Simplicity summer home tour.  If you are here from At Home with The Barker’s, welcome!

I am currently obsessed with adding greenery and topiaries to my home – inside and out! The front door has artificial boxwood topiaries and a wreath along with little live evergreens surround by pink petunias.

We have a side entrance that I also have artificial topiaries and a boxwood wreath.  I love them because they look real but last year-round AND don’t require any maintenance!

I added the sweetest double boxwood topiary to our piano.  I found it at Hobnob market, and you can see all the details of that trip HERE.

Just beyond my piano wall is a wall of greenery.

I added open shelving in our kitchen nook, and it is the perfect display for my white dishes and plants.  The contrast between the two is just gorgeous.

All of the little potted plants were from the market I mentioned earlier.

I water my plants routinely once a week on Mondays – this way I don’t forget to water (and don’t overwater).

I love bringing the outside in with these gorgeous plants.

My kitchen table also is simple with just a plant in a terra cotta pot.

I love welcoming summer in our home with all the greenery and live plants while keeping it simple and fresh.

Don’t forget to check out all the other blogger’s summer home tours, and if you’re following the blog hop, be sure to visit!

 

Monday

House by Hoff / House of Wood / Refresh Restyle / Cassie Bustamante / That’s My Letter

Tuesday

The Happy Housie / Simplicity in the South / at HOME with the barkers / Sincerely, Sara D.

Wednesday

Nina Hendrick Design Co. / The Wicker House / A Burst of Beautiful / Paint Me Pink / Town and Country Living

Thursday

At Charlotte’s House / Just a Girl and Her Blog / House 214 Design / Robb Restyle

Friday

My Fabuless Life / The Turquoise Home / Erin Spain / Place of My Taste / Cherished Bliss

  Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

DIY

DIY Elegant Paneled Wall

A few months ago, I shared our living room makeover (you can see all the details on that makeover HERE).  The makeover included a DIY Elegant paneled wall – one of my favorite projects to date!

DIY Elegant Paneled Wall with Remodelaholic

Since moving into our home, I have struggled with what to do with the inset walls.  However, I didn’t want to build bookshelves since we have a huge wall of shelves in the next room.  I wanted the inset to appear more special, so this DIY detailed paneling was perfect for the space.  It adds interested without taking away from the fireplace (the focal point).

I wanted to give my family room an entirely new look, and this DIY paneled wall makes such an elegant statement.  I do not claim to be a woodworker, but I am pleased with the result and spent around $300.  You can see the full detailed tutorial HERE.

Here is the before: I stenciled the wall early on to add some interest, and I am glad it was paint instead of wallpaper.  I was able to just paint right over the pattern!

The progress: Caulk is your friend in this project – notice the gaps.

And the after!

I did this wall treatment entirely solo, so I promise it is a DIY project you can do as well!  See the full tutorial HERE.

 

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

Decor

Why I love Flea Markets

Today I wanted to share why I love flea markets and my most recent flea market finds.

Why I love Flea Markets

A few weeks ago, I went on a girl’s getaway with my mom to celebrate Mother’s Day.  We shopped The Hobnob Market in Effingham, Illinois, and had the best time!

The weather was perfect, there was live entertainment, yummy food, and a plethora of amazing vendors and shops.

These markets always remind me how much talent and creativity fill this world.

I love being inspired by the vendors – through their styling and signage.

One of our favorite vendors was Passiflora.  I’m currently obsessed with topiaries, and the shop had the cutest plants. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a website or social media accounts to share.  All I know is that this vendor is from Michigan.  I ended up buying 5 plants (and that was showing restraint because I wanted more)!

Another of my favorite vendors was Lucy’s Southern Twine from Missouri.  They are a talented mother/daughter duo who offers a variety of unique handmade and hand-lettered home decor and apparel.

I bought this gorgeous hand-painted floral crowned cow for Lena’s room.  You can find them on Etsy!

We had so much fun trying on clothes.  There were several clothing bus/trailer boutiques.

Eye candy and pretty color combinations were everywhere you looked.

I have a thing for street signs, so you can imagine my excitement when I found this collection:

I added my Hobnob Market finds to some DIY open shelving, and I’ll be sharing that project soon!

We really did have the best weekend!  If you aren’t a flea market shopper, you need to give it a try.  I prefer flea markets over antique stores.  I find the prices are generally better because the vendors are more open to negotiating (they would usually rather sell than pack the item(s) back up). Google flea markets in your area.  I found an article from the Huffington Post which shares some of the best flea markets in the United States by region.  You can see more HERE. Happy shopping!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

Decor

Adding Natural Light with VELUX

Adding Natural Light with VELUX has made such a difference in our bonus room.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of VELUX Skylights. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have shared almost every room in our home.

Adding Natural Light to the Man Cave with VELUX

But there is one room that’s been kept secret, and it’s the man cave.

We watch TV and spend most evenings in this space.  It is a large room (it spans the length of our 3 car garage) but only has one tiny window.  The room is like a tunnel and nearly impossible to photograph due to the poor lighting.

I had to use my light kit to capture these not-so-great photos (you can see one of the lights in the photo below – right hand corner of the room).

With the poor lighting (and almost no natural light), this room has never been blog-worthy.

Besides the poor lighting, the room was covered in popcorn ceilings.

Since moving in, we have talked about different solutions for brightening up the room.  We liked the idea of window dormers, but the cost was crazy.

Obviously, we were beyond excited when VELUX Skylights (whyskylights.com) contacted us about adding more natural light with VELUX.

Our plan is to add four VELUX No-Leak Skylights along our south wall.

Before we add those skylights we wanted to make use of the ceilings and make them more of a fifth wall (you can find more 5th wall design inspiration at www.whyskylights.com). To do that, the popcorn ceiling had to go…

Since we’ve never removed the popcorn ceiling (and this room has a crazy amount of popcorn), we hired a professional.

It was a messy week followed by lots and lots (and lots) of painting.

We painted the walls and the slanted ceilings the same color of the walls to make them feel more like a wall rather than a ceiling. Here is a cheesy photo of me posing in my paint-covered clothes when we finished painting the room late one evening.

Our tiny window barely provides any natural light let alone fresh air.  By installing VELUX no leak solar powered “fresh air” skylights, we will have natural light from above, fresh air, and a sky view.  The skylights will open to release warm air that rises to the ceiling and by also opening our existing window, we can create a breeze that cools your home without having to use the AC. This passive ventilation was something we can never do without the skylights.

I love to open windows on pretty days, and there are times I hated to go into the Man Cave because it felt like a dungeon.  By adding these four skylights, we’ll be able to open them and connect us to the outside. Remember lying on the grass as a child and staring up at the clouds? That’s what we’ll be able to do in our home!

The skylights we’re installing are solar-powered, so no wiring is required at installation, and they come with energy-efficient glass.  We will have peace of mind with VELUX skylights because they come with a no-leak warranty on product and installation.

We are going to also add solar skylight blinds for light control and a splash of color on the ceiling.  This way, we can shut out the light if we’re ever watching tv during the day.

Possibly my favorite feature about the skylights is that they have a built-in rain sensor that automatically closes the skylight at the first sign of rain.  The fresh air skylights can be programmed to open and close on a schedule for regular home airing. Home airing is important because it releases moisture and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can build up as a result of everyday activities such as showering, washing, breathing, using household cleaners.

We’re excited for the skylight installation within the next few weeks, and we are so excited to have a brighter more welcoming space.  I’ll continue to share the progress of the space as installation begins.

**UPDATED – See the FINAL REVEAL here!

Stay tuned!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

 

Home

Summer Reading List

I wanted to share my Summer Reading List with you all.

Summer Reading List

We only have a few more weeks before school is out, and my family is eagerly awaiting summer.  This is the time I always begin creating our summer to-dos.  I imagine lots (and lots) of relaxing and free time.  In reality, we always seem to somehow manage to overbook our summers between summer camps, sports, and other activities.  However, I still feel the need to believe that there will be some relaxation, and I would love to have the time to read more. I recently asked you all for your favorite books (via Facebook and Instagram) and compiled a list of all your favorites for a summer reading list.  If you click on the title name below, each one is linked to Amazon for easy viewing of the description and purchase.

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

These Is My Words       The Glass Castle         The Nightingale

      

A Man Called Ove       The Summer Circus   The Boys in the Boat

               

All the Light             What Alice Forgot       Ordinary Grace

         

The Life We Bury         The Storied Life       The Secret Keeper

       

 Me Before You              After You                         See Me

           

Yellow Crocus                   The Pecan Man         Gone With the Wind

   

Small Great Things   Take Me With You    The Hiding Place

    

I have only read a few of these books, but I am excited to read more.  While I was linking each book title to Amazon I was reading all the descriptions, and they really do look interesting.  However, please note that these are titles recommended by my readers, so I have not personally read them. I would love to know – are any of your favorites on this list and/or is the list missing any great reads?  I’d love to know! Happy reading!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

DIY

DIY Large Silhouette Art

This DIY Large Silhouette Art is a fun project to make and cost me only $3!

DIY Large Silhouette Art

I love silhouettes.  They are timeless, sentimental and make great artwork for the home.  I created this silhouette for my daughter’s room (to see more on her room click HERE), and it only cost $3! To begin, a side profile photo is needed.  Use a camera phone to take a profile photo and email it to yourself.

I tried the old-fashioned way of creating a silhouette with NO success.  Between my daughter not standing still and my son moving the flashlight, I wasn’t able to trace the silhouette since it was constantly changing.

Once the photo is emailed to yourself, open it and print it.  It doesn’t need to be a great copy, I just used our black and white printer.  Since my silhouette was so large, I printed mine across four 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper.

This “tiling” process can be a little complicated.  If you have Adobe Illustrator, create a document sized to however large you want your image (mine is sized to 17″ x 22″).  The select print and a box will pop up.  At the bottom in “options,” you should select “Tile” and your image will print out in different sections.

If you don’t have Adobe Illustrator, here’s a tutorial I found on Pitter & Glink for printing large images using Microsoft Word. If you don’t have either program and want something larger than 8.5 x 11 inches, just send your image to a local printer or office store.  They can print it fairly inexpensively as a black and white image on whatever size you prefer. Once the image is printed, cut it out to create a silhouette.  A piece of black (or another color) paper can be added behind to create a silhouette.  Or, you can cut out the image and use it as a stencil as I did.

For this DIY art, I used an old box and a $3 hula hoop.

The hula hoop will be the frame for the art. Use the hula hoop as a stencil and trace the circle on the cardboard.

Carefully cut the circle with a knife.

Paint the cardboard circle (I used chalk-type paint).

While the circle is drying, paint the hula hoop.

Once the circle is dry, add tape to the back of the silhouette.

Place the silhouette where you want it to be and trace around it.

Once traced, paint the inside of the silhouette.

Use a small brush for the smaller areas.

Once that paint is dry, add a line of glue around the circle.

Add the painted hula hoop.

Flip over the piece and draw a straight line in the upper third of the circle.

Glue a rope on either end for hanging.

Flip it back over and enjoy!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

 

Home

Favorite Things Giveaway

I’m so excited it’s spring and celebrating with a Spring Fling Favorite Things Giveaway!  I’ve joined 13 other DIY and home decor bloggers, and each of us is sharing our favorite things and having a giveaway. That means 14 winners total! Not only is it a fun prospect to WIN, but they make great gift-giving ideas as well. Here are my favorite things, and scroll to the bottom of this post to enter MY giveaway.

To see each giveaway up closer, and to enter to win, you must HOP to each site to fill out the entry forms. It’s possible you could win more than once. To enter:

  1. Check out the 14 gift collage below.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of this post to enter to win MY gift giveaway.
  3. HOP to all of the other sites to enter to win their gifts.
  4. Look around and enjoy the sites of the other home bloggers–they will not disappoint!
  5. *Note- if you receive an error message when you HOP, click to the blog’s home page, then it should be the top post (sometimes there are glitches on day 1).

The collage of giveaways…

***Make sure you HOP to each site, and enter for each gift on those pages.*** The numbered images above, correspond with the numbers/blogs below   1. Honeybear Lane //2. Refresh Restyle // 3. Design Dazzle //4. Pretty Providence // 5. Sincerely Sara D. //6. Simply Designing // 7. The Tale of an Ugly House // 8. Maybe I Will // 9. All Things Thrifty //10. Blooming Homestead //11. Design, Dining, and Diapers // 12. Capturing Joy // 13. Thrifty and Chic // 14. Lolly Jane  

My favorite things giveaway include DIY and paint:

  • Notebook to organize all your DIY ideas: $8 Value
  • Chip Brush (great for chalk-type paint): $5 Value
  • Trim Brush (for painting walls): $5 Value
  • FrogTape (great for all your paint projects): $7.50 Value
  • DAP Patch-n-Paint (eliminate those holes before you paint): – $4 Value
  • Rust Oleum Spray Grip (makes spray painting so easy) – $6.50 Value
  • Home Depot Gift Card (buy yourself some new paint) – $25 Value
  • Plastic Drop Cloth (protect from overspray or drips) – $2 Value
  • Metal Toolbox (the cutest toolbox around) – $30 Value
  •  

You can easily store all the DIY tools in the pretty toolbox and stay organized and cute.

If you’re new to my blog, I love to paint. I recently gave our piano a painted makeover.

The drop cloth, FrogTape, and spray paint handle would come in handy for a project like my piano.

I also painted a headboard I found at a flea market – fabric and all!

The chip brush and drop cloth would be great for the headboard project.

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest      

Decor

Floral Wallpaper

Looking for floral wallpaper perfect for a little girl’s room?  This is a great option!

Lenas Bedroom Makeover Floral Wallpaper

We recently gave my daughter’s bedroom a mini-makeover. Here was how it looked a few months ago:

And here is how it looks now.

We kept the same color scheme, but the most obvious change is the wallpaper.

The floral wallpaper is from Claire Bella Studio, and it’s called Bloom Blush (and if you place an order now through the end of May, you can get 20% with the code SARAFAN).

The silhouette is a DIY project I did, and it only cost me $3.  I’ll share that tutorial very soon!

The furniture was a Craigslist find from over four years ago. I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (one of my first chalk paint projects), and it has held up really well.

The comforter is from Beddy’s.  Lena begged for her own zip-up bedding after seeing her big brothers’ bedding (you can see more on that HERE).  The striped sham and floral pillow were handmade by my mom, and the bed skirt is from Target

.

The wallpaper is busy, so very little wall decor is needed in this space.  I love the paper because it is so colorful and happy.  I tell Lena that it is always spring in her room.

Lena is really into creating (which I love of course), and this little sign is just the sweetest.  I am not really sure why she is asking “Where is the Beast” other than she’s obsessed with Beauty and the Beast right now.

Just to show you that a little girl’s room can never look this perfect, here is the photo editing corner.  This is everything I removed from her room for the photoshoot (and I won’t open the closet for you)!

I love to decorate kids’ rooms because you can color outside the lines and have fun!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

Paint

How to Paint a Piano

Have you ever considered painting your piano? Check out this painted piano makeover tutorial!

Painting a Piano Tutorial

I recently gave our family room a makeover (you can see all the details on the previous painted piano tutorial HERE). After that makeover was completed, I realized our yellow-painted piano with all of its distressing didn’t really work in the new space.

It was previously painted with milk paint and chalk paint (you can see that makeover HERE).  Style preferences change over time, and I just wasn’t loving the more shabby chic look of the matte paint anymore. Here’s a photo of the original image of the piano – before it was painted yellow.

We loved (and the kids played) the yellow piano for the past four years.  However, I was ready to give her a more sophisticated paint job. I began by sanding the piano with fine grit sandpaper.  I had previously used wax on the piano, and I have found that wax resists paint.

After the sanding was done, I used a cleaner to wipe down the piano.

I don’t recommend using spray paint inside, but I definitely didn’t want to move the piano out to the garage to paint.  It was just too much work.  Instead, I opened windows and doors for ventilation and covered everything in my home.

Using painter’s tape, I taped off everything I didn’t want to be painted on the piano.

After everything was taped down (including the piano keys and foot pedals) and the prep work was done, I added Amy Howard’s at Home Furniture Lacquer Primer.  I used three cans of paint primer for the piano.

After the coat of primer was completely dry, I began with the first coat of Amy Howard at Home’s Furniture Lacquer in La Grange.

The nice thing about spray paint (or using a paint sprayer) is that you can easily paint all the nooks and crannies.

I painted several light coats of paint and allowed them to dry in between.  Once dry, I sanded lightly and use a lint-free dry rag in-between coats.

Lacquer is tricky, but it does provide a gorgeous glossy finish without paint strokes.  You have to move slowly and carefully (but not too slowly that you have excess and it drips).

It took patience and time (and around 4 cans), but I had a gorgeous new piano in one day.

I had gold spray paint on hand, so I used it for the final step to add gold-dipped legs and brighten the pedals.

The piano (and piano bench) has a sophisticated new gloss paint look that fits perfectly in my newly designed family room!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest *This post is a sponsored post by Amy Howard at Home and contains affiliate links. I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored, all the opinions are my own.

We're On Instagram
I love this chair and side table from @zgallerie that I decided to try it in my office/library. I’m not sure where I love it more - here or my bedroom! It adds so much elegance and charm to the spaces. Use my code SY5 at checkout for 5% off your entire purchase.
Shop My Favorites by commenting LINKS or through the link in my bio #ZGallerie #MyZgallerie #Zgallerie #ModernLuxury #LuxuryInterior

...

32 11
We waited 13 years for this - and our house looks happier with her glow-up!

We went from a drafty single door (with a 90s glass inlay I poorly covered up) to double doors that allows in more light and feel right for our home.

What do you think?

...

90 38
My patio is all ready for warmer weather thanks to the new launch with @livabliss + @galeyalix! I’m LOVING the checkerboard outdoor rug. Comment “PATIO” and I’ll send you the links! #Livabliss #LivablissHome #GaleyALixxLivabliss #HomeDecor #Rugs

...

41 16
I’ve been slowly refreshing our bedroom and recently added this beautiful swivel chair and side table from @zgallerie! They add the perfect elegant modern touch to the space. Use my code SY5 at checkout for 5% off your entire purchase. Shop My Favorites by commenting “LINKS” or through the link in my bio. 
#gifted #ZGallerie #MyZgallerie #Zgallerie #ModernLuxury

...

21 16
What started as a leak turned into my dream bathroom ✨ I partnered with @wayfair and found everything - from checkerboard tile to the vanities, mirrors, and faucets. Comment “LINK” and I’ll send you all my favorite finds! *Shower glass coming soon! #ad #wayfaircreator #homereno

...

70 34
@wayfair is helping us turn a disaster into something beautiful ✨A leak from our upstairs shower led to a full remodel, and I can’t wait to show you the AFTER! Bathroom remodel reveal coming soon. Comment “LINKS” and I’ll send all my Wayfair favorites! #ad #wayfaircreator #wayfair #homereno

...

48 15
*TWO THINGS that make wallpaper removal easy* Wallpaper has come a long way and there’s no need to be scared of it anymore! Before I hang wallpaper, I size the walls and often use pre-pasted SureStrip wallpaper that is activated with water! Comment WALLPAPER for easy to remove wallpaper links!

...

41 29
What a difference pattern can make in a space! 

Are you ready to try wallpaper in your home?

...

131 46
2016 didn’t seem that long ago until I dug through my blog for old home photos. 😳

...

112 13
Dreaming of spring days while winter does its thing.

...

63 14
We're On Instagram
I love this chair and side table from @zgallerie that I decided to try it in my office/library. I’m not sure where I love it more - here or my bedroom! It adds so much elegance and charm to the spaces. Use my code SY5 at checkout for 5% off your entire purchase.
Shop My Favorites by commenting LINKS or through the link in my bio #ZGallerie #MyZgallerie #Zgallerie #ModernLuxury #LuxuryInterior

...

32 11
We waited 13 years for this - and our house looks happier with her glow-up!

We went from a drafty single door (with a 90s glass inlay I poorly covered up) to double doors that allows in more light and feel right for our home.

What do you think?

...

90 38
My patio is all ready for warmer weather thanks to the new launch with @livabliss + @galeyalix! I’m LOVING the checkerboard outdoor rug. Comment “PATIO” and I’ll send you the links! #Livabliss #LivablissHome #GaleyALixxLivabliss #HomeDecor #Rugs

...

41 16
I’ve been slowly refreshing our bedroom and recently added this beautiful swivel chair and side table from @zgallerie! They add the perfect elegant modern touch to the space. Use my code SY5 at checkout for 5% off your entire purchase. Shop My Favorites by commenting “LINKS” or through the link in my bio. 
#gifted #ZGallerie #MyZgallerie #Zgallerie #ModernLuxury

...

21 16
What started as a leak turned into my dream bathroom ✨ I partnered with @wayfair and found everything - from checkerboard tile to the vanities, mirrors, and faucets. Comment “LINK” and I’ll send you all my favorite finds! *Shower glass coming soon! #ad #wayfaircreator #homereno

...

70 34
@wayfair is helping us turn a disaster into something beautiful ✨A leak from our upstairs shower led to a full remodel, and I can’t wait to show you the AFTER! Bathroom remodel reveal coming soon. Comment “LINKS” and I’ll send all my Wayfair favorites! #ad #wayfaircreator #wayfair #homereno

...

48 15
*TWO THINGS that make wallpaper removal easy* Wallpaper has come a long way and there’s no need to be scared of it anymore! Before I hang wallpaper, I size the walls and often use pre-pasted SureStrip wallpaper that is activated with water! Comment WALLPAPER for easy to remove wallpaper links!

...

41 29
What a difference pattern can make in a space! 

Are you ready to try wallpaper in your home?

...

131 46
2016 didn’t seem that long ago until I dug through my blog for old home photos. 😳

...

112 13
Dreaming of spring days while winter does its thing.

...

63 14