Concrete Bandwagon

All aboard for the Concrete surface Bandwagon! If you aren't a big diy blog reader, you probably have approximately zero idea what I'm talking about, so allow me to explain.  I am now the proud owner of a 10lb bag of Ardex Feather Finish, and I can not wait to give it a try!!!!!  Introduced to the DIY blog land by Kara Paslay, Ardex Feather Finish is like frosting for your countertop.  Essentially it allows you to create the look of a polished concrete surface by simply covering up your old surface.  No demo of your old countertops, no pouring messy concrete into makeshift forms- only a thin coating of concrete that result in pretty surfaces that look substantial, textured, and just all around awesome.

via Little Green Notebook

I've been dying to find a project to try this out on and I've finally found it!  I'm going to make you wait until probably next Wednesday or maybe even the following Monday to tell you cuz I'm mean like that, but I will tell you it's not my countertop, or Millie's countertop, or a floor, or a table..... You'll just have to wait and see!

Until I perfect my hand at the Ardex amazingness, I'll show you a few of the projects that lured me to the dark side into wanting to try it.

1. I have to start with Kara Paslay.  Not only is she pretty much the one that started it all with this countertop redo,

but she's also used Ardex for just about everything- like creating this pretty sweet patterned table top.

2. John and Sherry jumped on the bandwagon not all that long ago by DIYing the countertops in their latest home.  It's not their long term solution since they have hopes for an eventual full kitchen renovation, but it's worlds better from where the kitchen started!

3. Jenny's laundry room on Little Green Notebook is my personal favorite for several reasons.  First of all, I love the concrete look as part of the whole room composition- so successful!  Second of all, I'm insanely jealous over pretty laundry rooms since my own is a corner of my unfinishable 100 year old basement... and lastly..... gold hardware.  I'm a sucker.

What I really love about all these projects is that the Ardex looks like it belongs.  It doesn't look like one of those countertop refinishing kits that just makes your laminate look a little bit less bad (I'll be ripping one of those out very shortly at Millie).  These just show that DIY doesn't always have to look it.

I can't wait to start my own Ardex project!  It's. going. to. be. epic.... ok, maybe a little bit of an oversell, but still, I can just picture the end result and it'll be happy-dance-inducing at the very least!

Crash! Charming Antique Cape

In this, the second installment of "Crash!" I invaded the beautiful home of a former coworker from days of yore.

Susan, her husband Andy and their adorable daughters Jenny and Laura have called this home for just about 4 years.

Built in the 30s, each previous homeowner has added on to it a bit, leaving their personal stamp and making this house truly unique.  Cape style homes around here built 40s and after are pretty cookie cutter, so the distinct non-cookie-cutterness of this older cape is quite refreshing.

Susan, being an architect by profession, definitely has the architect's eye with a designer's touch.  Every piece feels like it's telling a story.

Does the china cabinet look familiar?  If you've ben reading here for a while it should- it's the very same china cabinet that I bought and painted for my dining room before realizing that it just didn't work.  I'm so glad that it found a perfect home in Susan's dining room!  And the yellow is far superior to it's interim gray- so cheery!

One of Susan's stamps on the home so far (aside from her awesome decor) has been to open up the kitchen to the sunken sunroom below.  The sunroom has much grander plans for the future so I won't be sharing that today, but it totally helps the kitchen feel ridiculously open and bright.

This home is a great example of how kids and their accompanying clutter don't have to dictate your style.  The IKEA expedit bookcase (now Kallax) really is ideal for this no matter your budget.  Susan uses the lower bins to hide all the Disney princesses within little hands' reach and draws the eye up to adult level with more sculptural elements on top.

It's the little details that most wouldn't notice that always catch my eye.  Isn't the striped carpet runner mitered at the landing a striking touch?

Even the girls' rooms have an adorably vintage flare.  And as we all know, I'm a sucker for built-ins.

Throughout the home, you'll also find beautiful collages made from vintage prints that Susan's artist mom creates.  This one from the master bedroom was my personal favorite.

I know I swoon over antiques regularly, and this home was no different.  A few of my favorite pieces of furniture were the bench and chair found in the master that had been passed down through her family.  Cool antiques just become even cooler when they have meaning behind them.

Thank you, Susan, so much for letting me into your gorgeous home!!!

Are you in the Boston area and want me to come Crash! your home?  Shoot me an e-mail here with a few photos and a little about your home.

Getting Inspired

Last week's weather was a drippingly delightful humid high 80s to low 90s... this week's forecast predicts high 60s to low 70s.  Color me confused.  While I appreciate cooler weather for more landscaping, this is extreme even for New England.  I might try and hold on to this summer kicking and screaming as long as I can.  I feel like the past few weeks has been an entire summer squeezed into 3 weeks and while it was fun, I'm pooped.  I have a super awesome house crash post to show you Wednesday, but today, I'm afraid to say, I had no planned post.  So instead of me inexplicably disappearing for a day, I'll share a few of my favorite things around blogland lately because the awesomeness is too good not to share. 1.  Um, guys, have you seen Mandi's $80 geometric wood floor??  Can I rip up every floor in my home and the flip and do this?  That would be reasonable, right?

2.  This art in a little girls room or play room would be so adorable without crossing the too cutesy line.  They have a habit of nailing it like that on A Beautiful Mess.

3.  If you're looking for inspiration for a room and haven't yet seen Emily Henderson's Materials Girl series, RUN, don't walk over to her blog and swoon over the amazingly pulled-together goodness.  She makes it look so easy.

If I don't bury myself in weeds before then, I'll be back on Wednesday with the house crash of a charming antique cape.  See you then!!