A DIY home decorating summer tour…
Time to sit back and unwind.
We’re dreaming of “summer magic” DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince style here at the Heathered Nest.
School’s not out quite yet, but there’s still sort of a buzz…mostly from bees.
Wanted to give you guys a bit of a summer home tour and DIY home decorating for the season now that I’ve finally managed to get all the Christmas decorations away (wish I were joking).
If you’ve been coming round here to this little DIY blog for any time, you may already know that we bought this house in the country almost two years ago.
And in those two years, there have been a lot of changes, thanks to a lot of my husband’s blood, sweat from the both of us, and tears…well, I’ll claim most of the responsibility there.
Here’s the foyer. Although, if you become a regular, you’ll only come through this door once…most people traipse in through the garage.
This room, like most, is filled with thrift store, craigslist and facebook yardsale finds.
That burlap settee was one of my first upholstery projects.
Our dining room, which I love. Sadly, it’s never used. We eat as a family, always…just crowded around the kitchen island. No good reason why except possibly me avoiding the extra shlepping of “stuff” in an out of there pre and post meal.
The rehab of this room was one of our worst experiences ever…dealing with termite damage is more painful than childbirth. Seriously. Eventually, we were able to turn lemons into lemonade, which is fitting for this very colorful space.
Here’s our main level powder room. And it’s a showcase for this 1940s cast iron sink, which happens to be my favorite item in the whole home.
I found it on Craigslist, and after being refurbished, I think it’s an absolute treasure.
Into the basement…
where we recently finished an entire overhaul. You gotta go check out the BEFORE shots of this dungeon…
Because even months later, I’m still pretty darn pumped with the changes we were able to make.
We overhauled the bathroom down here, which has been dubbed “Napoleon’s throne room”.
It’s our guest bath.
And it’s next door to our guest bedroom. If you are inclined to stay awhile, this will be your room.
The guest room was one of the first overhauls in this house, but it’s still one of my favorites.
We added a large window in this space. Before, there was absolutely no natural light in here at all.
The kids will definitely want to show you their rooms. Our daughter’s space is still a work in progress, but it’s coming along.
She doesn’t seem to mind waiting for her space to take shape. As long as she has her books, she’s a happy kid.
Our oldest son is a train aficionado. This is his space.
And our youngest, Sweet Cheeks, he loves mud and bugs, and all things out-of-doors. And this is his quarters.
The project we completed most recently was our kids’ bathroom. We finished it in six weeks, with a $2000 budget, and came in spending about $1850.
And we all are thrilled with the results.
We still have lots of projects to do in this place…and that’s as it should be when making a house a home, right? Slowly but surely, it’s becoming ours.
Having relocated out here to the country from a much more urban scene…the real draw for most of the clan is found outside…where the kids will run for hours, get dirty, explore, make wishes blowing on dandelions, and enjoy that age-old pastime of just being kids. It’s a beautiful life.
And it’s summertime. There’s an air of love and of happiness, and so far, not so much “summer madness” as the Fresh Prince might say.
Pssst…before you go, I sure would love to hang out with you again really soon! Sign up now and get a FREE copy of “Builder-Grade To Beautiful: 10 Totally Transformative Home Decorating Solutions, All Under $100!” Click here to enter your email or on the image below. Your copy will be sent right away!
Kim Six says
You have such a gorgeous home! Thanks for sharing it at You’re gonna love it. Pinning!
Gypsy Heart says
You have such a talent for color and design! Just love your entire home and yes, I'd totally enjoy that guest room. Where did you find the cow pic? The outside view is spectacular and the perfect place to raise kids. Thanks so much for sharing!
Pat