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Let's begin with the fact that this April marks 2 years since we found our house. 2 YEARS!! I just cannot believe it went that fast and that just now we are beginning to really dive into projects around here. I think doing so many at the other house had us run the opposite way when it came to doing anything here and since it was so perfectly neutral to begin with, we didn't really feel the need to get into anything. However, along with the rest of the world, since we are all home all the time and I finally have a little bit of a work break, my focus turned to our own space.
Full disclaimer, that I need to point out, that before doing any project yourself, please research and make sure that you have the proper tools, measurements and have sampled any paint on larger swatches than the little tiny ones the stores give you. Each decision effects the next and you don't want to find yourself in the middle of a project with colors that are coming out completely different than you thought and tools that are not working.
So we first decided to redo our entryway. Our home is laid out that when you first enter you can either go right towards the living room and kitchen or left to the bedrooms (that's the master at the end of the hall), so there's not a definite entryway besides what you see above. The previous owners had shelving here that I had fun styling the last 2 years but when company would come, there really wasn't a place to put coats, purses etc so this is our best solution.
Once we decided on the design we wanted, we began with some lumber, measurements and some drawing on the wall 😆
The top board was thicker at 6" and we used a 6" for the edge piece on the right. The boards we used for the inside are 4". For the ledge we used 4" as well. For spacing, we measured the width of the wall and came up that 15" apart was the most even for spaces. Our oldest was on board for helping out and it was so fun having him learn safety measures and use all the tools.
Our next decision was if we should wrap the entire wall around with the board and batten since the adjacent wall is our living room, or leave it just for the entryway.
We decided to try it all the way around and I'm so glad we did! The paint we selected is Benjamin Moore Intense white for the walls and Chantilly Lace for the Board and Batten and Trim.
We continued the same measurements around using another 6" board for the left edge to make the corner look wrapped. Again, using the 15" space between each one, the last one edges up to the door trim so it is a tiny bit smaller but you can't really tell! The ledge is thick enough to put up pictures and smaller decor, I have some larger pictures coming in a while to put over the couch. A great trick, since there is no buffer ledge is to put command strips on the back of the picture against the wall so it doesn't fall. The front layered pictures in the entryway also have command strips on their backs against the larger picture to keep them from sliding.
The last thing we did to update the living room was our faux brick accent wall. Since we moved in I've been saying this wall needs to have something on it to really have the wood burning stove stand out. I have missed the brick accents we had in our old house so I knew it would be perfect to add here. The only thing was that after doing brick tile in our old kitchen (see that makeover here) we knew we didn't want to get into that for an entire wall, especially with the smaller cuts around the windows. So we searched and we came upon Ninth & Vine. This is the perfect solution! These are faux brick panels made to be easily cut and installed. They slide and lock in and on the back are two strips of double sided tape that hold up with one push. The cutting takes the longest and we only used a few nails for reinforcement but this wall did not take long at all and came out just as good as if it were real brick (and it comes painted!) They also have other options available like shiplap panels, reclaimed wood style and some other decor items. Definitely check them out for your next project here!
We're just waiting for some final touches until this area will be done and we couldn't be happier with the outcome. I've already noticed how much more relaxed we all are when we are in here listening to music, reading and watching movies. If you noticed, we also split up our sectional that gave us more seating options and so far has the boys NOT fighting over where to sit because separate seats means they don't touch 🤪 (anyone else's kids have that daily argument?!)
Now, onto our next project!
Until next time, Maria * Come follow along! I am always sharing designs, inspiration and project updates on both client and personal projects in Facebook or Instagram! *Beginning a project and need help? From space planning to full service residential design, I can help you create your dream home! Click here for services!
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