Update and Transform Your Home on a Small Budget! Big Results forLittle Money!

   This post shows several of my favorite, easy, and affordable makeovers that I have come across lately that I absolutely LOVE!!! Not a lot of cost involved and huge changes visually!! You cannot ask for more than big changes with little investment! Woo hoo!

   The first project is just a classic need in most homes... Various rooms quickly get slightly dated iun appearance and it quickly becomes VERY overwhelming as the home owner! Immediately our minds think that we have to change out the counter tops, the tile in the shower and tub, the cabinetry, and the list goes on.... These things quickly add up to figures that really become daunting when you know there is more than JUST ONE room that needs this kind of attention in your home.... Here is a perfect redo showing how you can make small changes and get big, beautiful results! Love this redo example and this site! Just look how fresh and pleasant that bathroom redo is with the change of a few minor and inexpensive elements.

https://centsationalgirl.com/2011/01/guest-visitor-house-of-smiths/

   This next redo shows how to really update a fireplace and take it from an older more traditional fireplace to a statement piece in your room! Note the fireplace stops at the mantle, but by repainting the brick around the fireplace, adding framing up the entire wall to the ceiling, and painting the wall from the mantle to the ceiling in the color that matched the brick this fireplace now fills the wall from floor to ceiling and it is gorgeous with minimal investment! Now if you have a fireplace that makes you fretted and seems dated and dark think of the options now!

   http://providenthomedesign.com/2014/09/03/diy-woodwork-mantlefireplace/

   Here is a mud room redo with paint as a few decorative pieces added to the walls basically, but this room was completely transformed!

 BEFORE

AFTER

http://www.designertrapped.com/2013/10/the-laundry-room-reveal.html

   This is a neat idea to add interest and a pretty window seat to a room that needs a face lift and some dressing up... Ikea pieces repurposed for a whole new idea! I love window seats no matter what, but then add storage to it and you cannot lose... Especially in your children's rooms. :)

http://mommyvignettes.blogspot.com/2013/05/ikea-no-sew-window-bench-tutorial.html

   This next one is something I just loved... It really gave the kitchen a total facelift and it just looks so bright and inviting now!!!! Note how they opened up one of the pieces of cabinetry to make it an open faced display shelf for some lovely pieces in the kitchen.... I really liked that. Also, think about this from a different aspect being if you purchase a home with far less cabinetry in the kitchen then you hoped for..... Add shelving with pretty shelf supports and paint them to match the cabinetry. Place your pretty pieces or well organized sections of kitchen gadgets on the shelves and hide the less manageable sections behind closed doors!! I love my grandmothers kitchen in Maine. She had opened shelving in several spots in her kitchen that made it feel inviting and homey to me. She displayed hand made pottery pieces on those shelves in tons of bright colors. I just love it!!

BEFORE

 AFTER

http://www.thekimsixfix.com/2012/08/kitchen-reveal-80s-to-awesome.html

   This last redo is close to my heart and cost less than $90 to complete. It is a bedroom in my home. We remade our king size bed from headboard to floor in this post and I was so happy with it!!!

   http://www.mommamiamoments.com/2014/05/diy-king-headboard-total-king-size-bed.html?m=0

   I hope these offered some inspiration to  your home and family! Thank you so much for visiting my blog!

Lots of Love,

Momma Mia :)

Lamp Shade Redo ~ Mini Blog Post :)

   So this post I labeled a MINI blog post :) mostly because well first of all I should have gotten more pictures along the way and saved a little more detail to share..... I wasn't thinking about blogging this little project when I did it..... The thought came after from my sister so I'm sharing what I have. Mostly the mini thing refers to the fact it was a super short and sweet DIY project. :) 

   So I had a lamp that I love, but the shade had seen better days. Finally a week or maybe a month ago :) (since the addition of our second sweet baby my concept of time is off more than usual even) the lamp shade was so badly in need of love I just retired it into the trash can, but not before saving the metal framing for a possible project later :). Soooo I had been looking at some of my favorite spots to shop for supplies and crafts, but I was finding nothing! The shades were either super expensive or just a paper form with lots of love needed. I ran across a lamp shade that was too long and lacked any character really, but it was a good width and I had my fingers crossed as to the cost. It was unmarked and all alone on a random shelf. Surprise for me because I get to the register and it was $8 on clearance! 

   I get home and decide I'll try it as is, but it was awful. You couldn't reach the switch at all once I put it on. So then I decided I would cut it down and just go from there. I took a small knife from my kitchen for this project. A crafters knife of any sort would have been more helpful, but this was the closest thing to me when I decided the lamp shade was going to change and work for me if I had anything to do with it! I sliced around the entire form to shorten the length and repeated a couple of times until the length looked really cute. Remember to slice away from you at all times. This specially was a project where the form slipped some while working with it so it made me a little paranoid while cutting  Then, I grabbed a small belt I never wear and thought I might use it as an accent detail around the base... I decided against this, but will use this concept again because I liked the look of a thin braided belt as an accent. I ended up choosing some pretty ribbon that complemented my bedroom colors and the lamp shade just in a simple easy solid color. It was a navy shade and now a simple white ribbon. To do the project I just carefully used hot glue because the lamp shade material and ribbon fabric were perfect for this simple choice to just hot glue. (I love my hot glue gun!)

   The lamp shade is now much better than before and only $8 for it! Simple fix. Maybe 30-40 minutes to just get the shade length to what I liked and add ribbon! 

   Basically, do not give up on a redo you have in your mind. Don't necessarily get your mind set on a certain path either. Look in clearance, look in odd places, grab what looks like it may not work yet has potential and the best things often come from these purchases!!! Pictures attached below of final lamp with new shade!!! :) I am happy and hope this offers some inspiration for a project on your shelf at home as well!! :) 

~~Momma Mia