den updates.

At the start of my maternity leave I made a list about a mile-long of projects I wanted to do during my time-off. And then something happened. I actually had the baby and got around to only a few with our three monsters in tow. So, with only a couple of weeks left on leave I am anxiously trying to check off more, including a few updates in the den. 

First up, a new desk. We had a desk unit in the den, but I wanted something more streamlined, clean and somewhat rustic. So, Dan built one for me. He used more of the wood that he used to build our bookshelves with- wood from some trees at his parents' house that he planed, sanded and stained. I love how it turned out and the fact that it was basically free is a bonus. I need to figure out a way to hide some of the computer chords and tower on the floor to the left, but other than that I love it. 

The second update happened because I found a set of school lockers on Craiglist that were: A) a good price and B) relatively close by. I have stalked the Craigslist listings here and there for awhile looking for lockers but they always either too expensive or the drive to get them wouldn't have been worth it. 

They were in great shape but the yellow color they were painted was too bright for what I was going for and overall just needed a fresh coat of paint, so Dan helped me lay the lockers inside our little red barn and I went to work. I did a quick rough sanding job to smooth out any bumps, then using an air compressor I cleaned them off (the air helped with getting little pieces of dirt out of the nooks and crannies) and then taped off the metal details. Lastly, using a stencil I taped the first initial of each of our babies, in birth order, on the lockers so that when I painted the lockers I could then remove the tape and their initials would remain in the original yellow for a nice contrast to the metallic deep grey I was using. 

(PS: notice the "E" for baby #4... this makes me smile! Some day baby girl can look back and realize how much she was wanted, loved and prayed for long before she even graced this Earth. The "E" in my mind stands for "Emma" but could always be "Baby Engel" since I don't have Dan sold on that name :)) And to be clear- I am NOT pregnant if anyone is reading this... baby #4 won't come home for a few more years.)

After giving the lockers two coats of paint over two days, we removed the tape and brought them inside where Dan secured them to the wall so that they will never fall over on our little monsters. And it's a good thing he did since Jackson and Audrey think lockers are meant to be play inside- they played in them for a solid two hours after we brought them in the house. 

The last update which I don't have full pictures of are new area rugs. You can see portions of them by both the lockers and the desk. I found these on Joss & Main and love them- they are soft and beautiful and having two of them works nicely with the two "areas" of the den that I'm working towards (learning/activity space for the kids & the desk/reading space for the adults). 

The next update to come (hopefully soon) is a new art desk for the kids. We currently have an old dining room table that we call the "art table" and it is where Jackson and Audrey do crafts, activities, practice schoolwork, etc, but Dan is going to build one that is more their size and in-line style-wise with the rest of the room. I have to pace myself with requesting projects of him so that he actually enjoys doing them. Little does he know (or maybe he does!) that I always have at least 20 more things on my list for him to build...

The new art table inspiration: HERE, HERE and HERE.

operation: home renovation

Dan and I have been finalizing our home renovation and addition plans for over a year. The drawings were finally completed by an architect a few weeks ago. And then? And then we completely changed our minds. We changed our minds on a total whim after Dan came across a photo online that totally inspired him and then inspired me and then... well, now we have a totally new plan. We have to wait for the temperature outside to warm up enough for concrete work- I don't really know a lot about that, but I do know that we mostly likely won't 'break ground' until spring because of this. So, in the meantime, we have been spending a lot of our evenings and weekends making sketch after sketch getting it all 'just right' and I continue to collect ideas online that meet what has been brewing in my mind for quite awhile. Here are just a few of these design-inspiring photos...

Source: Apartment Therapy

Source: Burlap and Blue

Source: Apartment Therapy

Source: Holly Mathis

Source: Apartment Therapy

Source: The Inspired Room

Source: Apartment Therapy

You guessed it... more {DESIGN} ideas!

A few more design ideas for the renovation of Cottage Hill! Our architect let us know today that she has been working on modelling our house in CAD. We are hoping to speak with her tomorrow for an update to see how things are moving along. In the meantime, here are a few more ideas that I found...

I really like the simplicity of white cabinets and thought this splash of color on the insides was a great idea!

Wouldn't these be the most adorable little beds for our little ones?

I love the way the black & white photos pop with the gray wall. 

My kind of color scheme. And maybe one day I'll be a professional-level sewer who can refinish chairs like this. 

Simple, love it.

Sweet little bench. 

I really adore window seats. Not a big fan of these colors, but I like the overall idea.

This looks like a peaceful little spot to put on makeup... it probably wouldn't be so peaceful in reality, but I would still like to have this setup!

More {design} Ideas

It is Friday night. Jackson is in bed. Dan is having some wine by the pond with a few friends. I have already cleaned the house, made gluten-free granola bars and read through my favorite blogs. So, now I'm searching for more design ideas for our home renovation! What a wonderful, relaxing night!

LOVE claw-foot tubs. 

Again, the claw-foot tub.. would really like one in our new master bath. 

Dan wants to put a gate at the end of our driveway eventually for security purposes. I really like this one- the brick would match the new brick that we'll be putting on our house and we could etch "Cottage Hill" into one of the columns. Oh, and the dog is adorable too, but we already have enough of those :)

I really like outdoor spaces that feel cozy enough to be indoors. I chose this one for the ceiling fan and the fireplace. The rest of the elements are really not my style (i.e. the ducks  on the mantle and the wicker)

I chose this one for the built in book-case. Dan and I are both obsessed with books. I want bookshelves built all throughout the house. 

Really love the neutral colors, the chandelier, the photo collage...

Cute outdoor area!

I like all the natural colors and natural light... the furniture is a little too formal for my taste, but still like the overall idea. 

I saved this one for the large flower boxes. I feel like I could make those... maybe? Or maybe Dan could do that for me!

Love this outdoor space. Love the long table and the arched window. Love, love, love. 

This is a photo that Dan found this week and put into our "design file"- he wants to mimic these arches/columns/brick/concrete somehow on our new patio that will be along the backside of the house. Notice also the concrete frames that surround all of the windows, he also wants to do that throughout the house. Good luck with that, babe!

{Design Inspiration}

As I mentioned on Inspire Me Engel a few weeks ago, Dan and I are in the midst of planning our long-awaited home-addition/renovation. We have been collecting photos for awhile of designs that we want to replicate pieces of- here are a few more that I have found recently:

This is how our new staircase will look including the placement of the coat closet and I love the bench!

I love the color of these stairs more though- the wood is darker. 

The ceilings in this room are very similar to how the ceilings will look in the new great room we are adding on. LOVE the detailed piece above the windows and the chandeliers!

Our new dining area will also be surrounded by windows- I love how it lets all of the natural light just pour in. 

Really love this table and its giant wooden legs. Not sure those wine glasses would stay put with little hands all over the place...

Again, dining area with a lot windows and light

Wouldn't these make the cutest little beds for the kids' rooms? Love! Our ceilings upstairs are similar to this as well. Very cozy. 

Loving the headboard- nice detailing and just seems antiqued. 

This one is a little random compared to the others, but I have been looking for lanterns like this ever since I came across this photo almost a year ago. I want to replicate this on the tree by our pond- it has the most perfect branches for it. Does anyone know where I can find some that are not expensive?