Hi Homies! We have lived at our acreage, 'Pike's Paradisus' for ONE YEAR!! Can you believe it!? Time went by so fast. If you know me, updates are a MUST in my home, especially ones that give an instant gratification update. So, I'm happy to say that we finally painted!!!
After a long winter we decided to have the main area of our house painted to bring in more light. I REALLY wanted to love the taupe--and in some ways, I did. I look back on the photos we took last fall and I was this close to keeping it. Either I have a thing for buying very neural taupey, beigey, pinky homes or the color spread like wildfire in peoples homes in the 2010's. Thank God this one was less pinky and more beigey than the last.
The main reason why I didn't absolutely love the color is a long and boring story involving a lot of conversations with my husband lol. In short, there were a ton of major holes and gashes to fill on the walls and every time we thought we had color matched it, we'd prep, paint a section and ugh, it left a noticeable patch no matter what finish we tried. I also realized that the house is painted in three to four different tones of taupe...a little frustrating to say the least! So, in the end we decided that painting the home was something we must get done soon. We started in the main open area.
Then we tried painting ourselves. I tried to cut around one section of the entry wall and I couldn't move my wrist for 5 days! My rheumatoid arthritis was not allowing me to paint (sad face), so Ken was facing doing the entire job himself!
We bought a 5 gallon pail of paint and he painted one wall 5 times because the paint wasn't covering and it was blotchy and left weird spots continuously. We realized the paint wasn't going on smoothly because we got a bad bath of paint. :/ So after hours and hours of investing time into the wall, we threw in the towel and hired someone to paint for us while we were away on vacation in May.
I lived with the taupe in the main area for a time, which was good. Truth be told, unlike many people out there, I think it's sometimes good to move in and paint later. It gives you a feel for the bones and character of the house before you go off on a spur of the moment excitement in the "honeymove stage" and paint it out of pressure in possibly the wrong shade. And we all know, there are fifty million shades of white ALONE.
Here's a reminder of how things looked before the new paint job happened. Remember, there was nothing "wrong" with the way it was, I just preferred to have it brighter and it desperately needed a fresh coat.
BEFORE
(edited to make it look brighter than it was)
Coming up: I'll show off my new paint color and the new sofa set and dining chairs we got by selling our old stuff on Facebook Marketplace. Then I'll share a five things that you can do to instantly update your own place whether you are looking for a new home, just purchased a new home, or have been living in one for many years. These five things will definitely give your space an uplift.
Super fast tip for someone buying a home: Look at the floors, countertops, cabinets and bathroom area. If you are happy with those tones of wood, stone and finishes, then you're already in a good spot. I knew the minute I walked in to our house that some simple changes would bring it up to date very quickly, (even though it was built in 2009), since the floors and countertops were just what I liked.
Before I show you, here's the why behind the design: I was greatly inspired for the design by my trip to Arizona in February/March. The calming colors in nature through the sky and land brought me such a huge amount of peace. When I got back home, I knew the exact direction I needed to go in to make my home feel peaceful like Arizona. Here are a few pictures I took that inspired me. Drop dead stunning there! :0
Arizona sunrises are mesmerizing!!!
This is the front Lobby at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. I love the contrast of the dark wood and creams.
This area was outside the breakfast restaurant at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass. The floors are gorgeous and I've always loved this style of flagstone.
This is a sunset view from our hotel room at the Sheraton. I mean, it doesn't even look real!!
Walking around the resort was so intriguing with the large variety of cactus. The green is such a nice accent to the red-orangey earth.
You can see how seemlesly the clay color in the earth matches perfectly with the cactus green and the light blue sky! It had me at hello. What can I say!?
Now that I've kept you waiting long enough...drum role please...
AFTER
Tip #1: Paint your walls. It will give you the most bang for your buck. Here's the front entry area painted in a beautiful off-white/creamy almond milk tone called Featherstone. I knew that a neutral tone would pair nicely with the accent of clay in the tiles and the medium hued hard wood, making it feel so much more open and inviting.
The grand piano faces you when you walk in and it fills the high ceilings with gorgeous music -played by my husband, Ken...not me!
The touch of blue just brings it all together. Just like the beautiful sunsets in Arizona. I wanted to blend the trim in with the wall color to create a seamless flow throughout the space where your eyes could glide around.
Tip #2: Add in texture through area rugs, drapery and throw pillows. They will bring warmth, comfort and a pop of color or pattern instantly!
If you look to the right when you come in there is a two step walk up entering the open plan main area. Here the family room:
Ugh don't mind the tv glare lol #reallife
Here's your first look at the accent color on the wall behind the love seat. It's a beautiful green color but is called Crownsville Gray even though it is blatantly a lovely calming shade of cactus green. It compliments the terracotta tones and the soft milky almond color of the walls perfectly.
Tip #4: Add balanced soft lighting throughout. Lighting is one of the most important parts of a room. I have to have cozy lighting or I am uncomfortable in a space. Each area of a room should be lit in some way by adding a combination of over head chandelier lighting, pot lights, lower lighting by adding lamps and candles, floor level lighting with cozy fireplaces, the all important under cabinet lighting and last but not least, outdoor lighting.
The area rug is from Wayfair.
The new sofas we bought are from Ashley Furniture. The coffee tables are from Homesense Canada. I bought two separate tables and made them into nesting ones.
I thrifted those awesome candle holders on fb marketplace for $50! They are matte black metal with glass shades. Perfect for any staircase.
The two paint colors together bring the deep brown out of the kitchen cabinets and the floors very nicely. I love a good contrast.
Take a peek out the window with me :)
I found this amazing washable rug on amazon. It lays flat beautifully and doesn't hold on to stains since you can pop it in the wash. I love it! Here's a link to the rugs I've got on Amazon.
The dining area completely changed when we sold our black farmhouse chairs and purchased these modern boho style ones (on clearance :0) in the same material as our sofa set. They really tie everything in together and are much more comfortable.
It's so much brighter now!! The plan is to put wood beams along the vaulted ceiling next! I can't wait until that happens and fills the open space with even more warmth and character.
I am a stickler for adding texture in the dining room through pillows and throws and I actually keep them there all the time. They aren't just staging props haha. I just tell my friends and family to toss them on the floor when they want to sit. No biggie.
I am probably going to get a new rug soon as well because this one has seen its day! There are a lot of stains you can't see. Tell me below what kind of rug you think I should get! :)
Wine glass racks are a nice way to add "art" to the dining room.
Tip #5: The last way you can instantly update to your home is through greenery. If you have a black thumb like I do, then get snake plants (which never die even if you forget to water them for weeks), faux greenery or dried eucalyptus. Petunias are great as outdoor plants because they are truly hearty and stand up to wind and rain. They also survive if you go away for a couple days and can't water them. Keep in mind that I'm from Canada haha and I have to think about such things.
Pro-tip bonus- Change out your florals in September to autumn colored ones in the fall and evergreens in the winter. I tend to bring back my summer greens in March and then add in succulents towards June. The good thing about eucalyptus is that it can stay out all year long :0
We also painted the main floor bathroom too! I love how a little paint and some fresh Arizona style brought it to life! It was my first time painting an arch too I highly recommend it
Here's a bonus peek at the outdoor balcony. I haven't done much out here yet, but it a nice sunny spot to lounge and visit.
The yard is still untouched since we moved in. We have plans to invest some time into landscaping next year. Check out my previous backyard renovation in the home I had in Lloydminster HERE. I kind of miss it, I'm not gonna lie, but I know we will make this backyard just as amazing!
Check out these two articles for some bonus tips where I was interviewed on The Spruce about my DIY's and tips for easy home projects you can do! The second article is all about my Amazon must-have's ! I was so very honored that they asked me!
That's it Homies!!!! I hope you enjoyed seeing the home in more detail and seeing the Arizona inspired changes I've designed. I appreciate you all being here and investing your time into my home decor journey. Cheers!!! -Jenn xoxoxo
Here's a link to my Amazon store front if you are interested in any of the rugs, pillows, blankets, clay pots and southwestern accessories from my home. For more ideas and fun, check out my related posts below on home decor and DIY or come find me on Instagram :) mwah!