Having a custom home is a wish that many of us have, but the affordability of one is a harsh reality we have to accept. Buying a home is something to be celebrated regardless of whether it is custom or builder grade. For those who are not aware of what builder grade means, it's simply defined as builders or contractors building the bare minimum as it pertains to materials, as opposed to more custom durable materials. Having a builder-grade home is not the end of the world. There are many ways we can give our home character by completing some DIYs or hiring a contractor. I am more of an "I'll try to do it myself, girl, and if I can't, my husband will figure it out." Let's dive into some things we have done to give our home some pizzazz.
One of the easiest projects we have completed was replacing our kitchen knobs. The knobs that came with our home were just simple silver and round. I knew I wanted something more significant, a bit bolder, and opted for gold brass Ethan knobs by Sumner Street at Home Depot. Because I replaced every knob in our kitchen, I purchased 32 knobs. Luckily for me, they came 10 in a pack, and I had the option to purchase two single ones. You don't need any heavy tools to complete this job. My sister-in-law helped me, and she twisted the knobs by hand. Meanwhile, I used my husband's drill. Check out my step by step tutorial
Scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram, I would notice these fun walls people would have in their living, dining, and bedroom space. I wanted to do the same, and I felt that I watched enough tutorials that I would try my hand at a board and batten wall. As intimidating as it may look, once you get the hang of the steps and buy all of the materials, things get a bit easier. I will make a post that goes into detail explaining what I specifically used. Below are a few pictures of our home before purchasing and how it looks now with some upgrades. If you look closely, you will see the basic island and dining lights. Did we replace those as well? Yup, you guessed right!
The lights above the island were lower than I would have liked, and they did not add anything additional to our space. Because we previously replaced the kitchen knobs with a brass color, I wanted something that complimented them well. After a few days of searching, I came across something that was not only affordable but gave me that modern feel I was looking for. I decided to go with a modern farmhouse as our theme, and now that I have figured out my design style and have started being intentional about the things I purchase, things are coming together nicely. Our home is truly my haven, and I want it to feel as such. You would be surprised how changing something so small as kitchen knobs, light fixtures, adding paint, or even swapping out the warm light for daylight bulbs make such a difference. Our kitchen lights are dimmable, which makes them perfect to set on bright mode for pictures.
Although we are still working on our home, I love the results thus far. I am learning that decorating and making your house a home takes time. We have some things we are working on, which I will share in the next post. I am excited to show you how paint, wallpaper, and some wood can turn your half bath into one of the coziest places in your home. I will talk to you guys soon!
With Love,
Xoxo
CarrieSierra