It has been a minute since I did an Amazon home finds post for all of you – so it felt like the perfect time to do so as I continue to decorate my new home. If you are new around here – Amazon home decor is one of my favorite things to find so I hope you enjoy these.
This post contains affiliate links – shopping those links costs you nothing but supports this page and my family. I am so thankful for you doing so.
Amazon Home Finds
It is no shock to those of you who have been following me for a while that I LOVE a good Amazon find, and especially pride myself on finding home decor on home decor.
We are now 9 months into decorating our new house and I have been scouring the house for more and more decor from Amazon to fill our spaces. I was so excited about the items I found that I had to round them them up for you.
Other Amazon Finds
Like I said – I have been rounding up Amazon home finds for years now. I have round ups no matter your decor style or what you’re looking for. Check out the video for a small sample of them, as well as the link below to check out more finds before you go.
As opposed to some of my other round ups – this one has a bit more color, and ‘fun’. One thing I have loved is adding in eclectic finds that are affordable. I have been adding in color (especially pink) throughout the house, but also included many of these finds around my house.
Cement Side Table – this is so pretty and adds a gorgeous new texture to your home.
Rug – I LOVE this rug. It is gorgeous and has subtle colors.
Pampas Grass – I LOVE pampas grass so much. It is gorgeous and soft.
Sconces – I got these for our playroom to hang on the side of the tv. I am using these lights instead of getting them hardwired. We just did this in our daughters room too and LOVE them.
Storage stool – I am planning to get this for Ave’s room
Dining chairs – I think this is the set of chairs I am going to get.
And that is it – I definitely think the finds in this post will tie in nicely to so many of them from the other Amazon Home Finds I have, so be sure you check those out.
Other Posts You’ll Love
If you loved this post then you will love these other great posts as well!
Hopefully you found some Amazon home decor that you are so excited to incorporate into your home. If you have any questions on these items or this post, be sure to leave them in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) where I share daily Amazon Finds.
Goldie Mae is almost two! I don’t even know if my heart can handle knowing that she is my last baby. Each year older we get further away from the baby stage. That being said, let’s just say I am thinking big time about her 2nd birthday! Last year we had a simple, yet perfect birthday for our Goldie girl. It will be hard to top this year, but incase you are also looking for 2nd birthday ideas for girl party themes, I am sharing lots of things to consider in this post!
You can check out what we did last year for Goldie’s birthday here. It was such a fun day, with a simple theme perfect for her. Since Goldie’s birthday is coming up in a few weeks, I need to get in the party planning phase ASAP and narrow down our theme for her big day!
I thought I’d share some 2nd birthday ideas for girl party themes with you in case you’re planning a party for your little girl as well.
Many of you may be planning a big special bash for your toddlers to make up for last year’s quarantine party or virtual birthday party. Parties can be stressful and add the additional pressure of making up for the previous year’s pandemic birthday and you’ve got yourself a recipe for full on panic mode.
Believe it or not, parties can be fun for parents too! I am all about sharing ways to make things ‘Pinterest perfect’ while making them realistic and stress free. This post will give you great ideas on how the whole family can enjoy the day. I’ll chat all things party related and break it down for a stress free day.
Birthday parties don’t necessarily need to be stressful. The easiest place to start is to decide on a birthday theme for your child. Having a themed party narrows down your decisions considerably and allows you to focus on the details within that themed genre. This is basically the direction you will go when it comes to planning a birthday outfit, party decorations, cake and so on.
There are so many popular party themes these days. A quick search on Google for second birthday party themes will yield thousands of results.
You may ask your child to help and pick out the theme together or surprise them for the big day. I love picking out themes based on my child’s personality and something that is meaningful to them.
But, you may have a very spirited 2 year old who has lots to say about her party and prefers to have her favorite characters (think a Minnie Mouse “Oh Twoodles” or Baby Shark “Two Two Ta Two” themes). There are tons of 2nd Birthday ideas for girl party themes to pick from!
Examples Of Fun, New, & Uniques Parties For Two Year Old Girls
Tea For Two Or Let’s Partea!
“Tea for Two” is girly, classy, and such a fun idea for a 2nd birthday! You’ll want to incorporate vintage tea cups, whimsical decor, tiny bites, and toddler fascinators! I love the idea of collecting vintage tea cups from antique stores or borrowing these items from grandparents and family members.
It is such a sophisticated theme for a little girl. You can even get your kid’s favorite stuffies and dolls in on the fun too and set up their very own special table to encourage imaginative play.
I think that this simple theme is a good mix of something beautiful that mom will love with also being something that plays well into what a child will love.
Two Sweet! Sprinkles, Ice Cream, & Candy!
Here is a parenting tip for you. You can put sprinkles on any food and your toddler will try it because it has sprinkles on it! Sprinkle oatmeal, sprinkle pancakes, sprinkle broccoli! Sprinkles for everyone! This theme is great if you have a specific color palette in mind because you will likely be able to tie in the decor.
Not only is this theme super fun but it is so versatile. There are so many DIY projects you can do for a sprinkle themed birthday party. Can you say sprinkle party favors? Sprinkle sensory bins! Decorate your own cookie stations.
What a fun way to get the children involved! You’ll create an impressive mess too! When they are all done, you can even set up a sprinkler to hose them off. This theme can also be used in a non-sprinkle sense and instead be used as more of a general sweets theme.
In lieu of toys, you can fill candy jars full of sweet treats for party favors. Don’t all toddlers love sweets? Keep things simple and you have a perfect set up. This is a great 2nd birthday ideas for girl party themes.
Boo! I’m Two! Halloween
Do you have a fall birthday? I have TWO, so I have done my fair share of fall parties. One great way to make a fall birthday into a 2nd birthday party is to do a “Boo! I’m two!” theme.
My friend Ashley throws the most insane parties ever and her inspiration is picture perfect. You could even hand out spooky baskets as party favors. I actually have lots ideas for what to put in them linked in this post.
DIY color block pumpkins make a great accessory to any Halloween table! See my post.
Two The Moon
This is a theme I am considering with my sweet Goldie girl – can you just imagine pink and gold and stars and moons? So darn cute.
Twinkling lights, starry skies, and iridescent accents would make this galaxy birthday far out! You could go in so many directions with this theme. For those who prefer less pink in their parties, this theme gives way to using colors of rich deep blues, silver, white, and gold.
I also love the idea of incorporating the sun, moon, stars, and clouds into the decor. A little goes a long way and you don’t need to overdo the decor to get this theme across. Something simple with twinkling lights, hanging stars, moon themed food (think moon pies), and accents of deep blue would be stunning!
Two Wild
This was the ‘theme’ I did with my older daughter when she turned two and it was so cute. It was a theme that worked well because my oldest son loves animals and shares a birthday week with her, so I tied things together, and we did a sweet little family party then set out for some quality time together and headed to the zoo to really keep the theme in tact.
Grab your leopard print and let’s go! Okay, you really don’t need the leopard print! This is another theme where a little goes a long way and you don’t need to go overboard.
Accents of animal prints, animal figurines, an animal balloon, and fun pops of color are great examples of easy decor. Your child will love having a zoo at their very own party! Or you could bring the party to the zoo. We are fortunate that we live in St. Louis where we have an amazing zoo.
I know not everyone is able to do that but what a fun idea to spend the morning at the zoo with family and go home to a zoo themed party.
More Themes to Consider for a 2nd Birthday Party for Girl
There are so many great 2nd birthday ideas for girl party themes that I can’t even fit them all in one post. If you are still looking for birthday party ideas, here are a few more that I love:
Garden Party – What a sweet and simple birthday party
Farm animals – Perfect for a first birthday party or 2nd birthday!
Taco Twosday – Who says adults can’t have some fun too?
Two Baller – We did this for my 4 year old. It was beach ball themed but you could pick any ball
Once you’ve determined your theme, you’ll need to keep a few other considerations in mind while planning for a 2nd birthday!
Birthday Party Locations For Your Two Year Old
Before you go inviting your second cousin’s best friend’s sister-in-law, you’ll need to have an idea of where you are having your party. Is this going to be in your home? If you are throwing a big party you can also look at the picnic area at many parks for a free location to host.
Most just need to be pre reserved online. Another option is to look at some fun party rental locations. Most of the time party packages are available for an additional fee. There are also a multitude of other places to consider but those are top three.
When it comes to stress in some ways I would say that having an in home party tends to be the most stressful on the host. It typical requires the most planning and prep, but also can take some stresses out of the equation such as weather when it comes to a park. An in home party also allows for more prep work to be done ahead of time if you are looking for that perfect set up.
Who to Invite To A Two Year Old’s Party?
I think who to invite is one of the harder questions for a second birthday party. It is that middle ground before many ‘friends’ and isn’t the big milestone that is the first birthday.
First things first I think you need to remember that whoever you want to invite or not invite is up to you. Every family and friend group is different, and you should never feel bad inviting people or not inviting people. Make this about your 2 year old.
Obviously I’d keep in mind location and budget when determining the amount of people as those are your major constraints. We generally keep our parties to families and a few good friends. As our kids have gotten older we have transitioned out of family and to only friend parties.
As far as invitations you have plenty of options. You can always send out invitations electronically. This saves on postage and allows you to have people RSVP directly to the website which will track it for you. There are many websites that offer free options for electronic invitations.
Evite.com and punchbowl.com are two sites that offer those services as well. If you prefer a more traditional route, you can find some great printables on Etsy for invitations.
Activities For Two Year Olds
2 year olds are SO MUCH FUN and super easy to please. I don’t think you have to feel obligated to have activities and a schedule of events, but you can if that suits your guest list better. I would base that on your stress levels so you can enjoy the party too.
Kids are mainly concerned with what type of cake and ice cream will be present. Adults on the other hand, just want conversations with other adults.
Easy Activities For Home Parties
1. Pool/ Sprinkler: If it is a summer birthday you can do a small pool and sprinkler to keep the kids entertained for hours. For our sons first birthday that was burger themed, we got a hamburger pool and everyone had so much fun!
2. An outing: You may want to tie the activity into the party entirely and hit the zoo or do the birthday party at a bounce house rental.
3. Sensory Tables or Sensory Play: This is such a fun option for the age and is something you can tie into the theme. Add small objects into whatever you want (kinetic sand/ beans/ noodles and so on). I have also seen recently small cute play dough kits you could do. Kids LOVE play dough!
4. Small Little Games : Party City also has tons of little games that you can tie into your theme.
5. Bubble Machines: I can think of very few things that kids like more than bubbles. We have this bubble machine and it is my go to during a birthday party for a fun activity. The good news is that there is little to no work for you.
6. Painting: Painting can also be a really fun way to tie an activity, theme and small party favor into one. I have done a pumpkin painting station, or you can paint little ceramics, or even cookie painting kits!
One of my absolute favorite mom-hacks is giving my kids time for sensory play. It encourages independent play and they are able to work on those fine motor skills that are essential for our toddlers. I love the kits at Young Wild and Freidman.
Each kit is themed and contains the best smelling playdough and little knick knacks that go along with that theme.
What to Serve Two Year Olds
Let’s be honest, food might be the most important part of any birthday party. Everyone wants to know what will be served. Make sure to consider the amount of people, time of day, and your budget when determining what to serve. You don’t have to feed a full meal at your birthday party. If you want to provide that, by all means I don’t think anyone will complain!
Heavy appetizers, sweets and savories, or a full meal is completely your call. Just make sure you have something to offset all the sweets. No parent wants to deal with a toddler who is crashing from a sugar high at naptime.
Take into consideration your theme too. You can offer some clever menu items based on your theme. A garden party could have mini sandwiches, scones, and crumpets, while “Two the Moon” could have moon pies, Milkyway bars and moon cheese!
If you want to offer alcohol to the adults that attend (know your crowd) that is your choice too. Jungle juice does have a nice sound to it for our “Two Wild” party. Just make sure it is clearly marked adults only!
And now for the main event- the cake! I am a sucker for fun, whimsical, and elaborate cakes, but those can be very pricey! Try keeping your cake simple and adding a personalized cake topper. Or, forgo the cake and have cookies, cupcakes, or cake pops instead.
2nd Birthday Party Outfits
Birthday party outfits are always so fun for little girls, but always keep in mind what you will be doing and if you will stress it getting ruined. I love a good simple party birthday outfit that ties into the theme, but always try to make sure my kids will be as comfortable as possible during the party!
Party Favors
I remember as a kid stuffing bags for party favors for each of my birthday parties. To be honest, none of the favors I had were anything I’d ever play with again after that day. If you decide to provide favors at the end of your birthday party, consider your guest list.
What are the age ranges of the kids, how many kids, budget, and of course try to narrow it down to something your child would like to play with.
For the “Two Sweet” party, I love the idea of providing sprinkles for your guests to take home and use in their baked goods. You could give individual scone mixes for party goers at your “Tea for Two” party. For your “Two Wild” toddlers, animal figurines for sensory play bins are always a hit in our home.
Buy a couple of extra bags of moon sand and you can send your “Two the Moon” guests home with their own. Other great favor ideas include cookies, play dough, Water Wow books by Melissa and Doug, bubbles, and stickers!
Many times for me I serve my decorative cookies as a party favor knowing our guests will be too full to enjoy them during the birthday party. It is a useful parting gift that everyone will love!
2nd Birthday Party Gifts
Picking out gifts for a 2nd birthday can be tricky. Some people expect gifts while other invites may say “no gifts please’. Most of the time many people don’t follow that and it ends up causing people to be uncomfortable or to feel bad. Whatever you decide to do, it is a good plan to have time for your child to open their birthday gifts if you do accept them.
If you are looking for ideas on what to gift – I have a whole page with gift guides for any age here, but also have a 2 year old girl gift guide here that is really helpful in terms of what your little girl might want.
When I put these guides together I try to find items and toys that are unique and not something you necessarily see everyday. At the same time, I want the toys to also be exciting and something that will get a lot of play!
Other Posts You May Love
If you loved this post on 2nd birthday ideas for girl party themes then be sure to check out these other great options below!
Hopefully you feel fully ready for a birthday party and found this 2nd birthday ideas for girl party themes post super helpful in planning. Be sure to pin the photo below for later, and follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) and Tik Tok (@arinsolange) so you don’t miss any of my parties to come!
After months of working on our playroom it is done – for now. It was a room of countless DIYs and LOTS of thoughts and changes as I made it perfect for our family. I am sure there are more changes that will come with time to the space – but FOR NOW this is the reveal of our Sherwin Williams Romance playroom.
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Sherwin Williams Romance Playroom Reveal
When we moved into our new house and started renovating I thought for sure I would stick to all white walls in main living spaces….but here we are with a full blush pink room on the main floor.
Our kids playroom is on the main floor and full of charm that was dying to have a bold face lift. When we were adding built ins I went back and forth on the color for those, and somehow things escalated and we ended up with a full on paint change in the room.
We went with Sherwin Williams Romance for both the built ins and the walls both. It was named HGTV Home’s 2020 Color of the Year because of its “calming yet posh” appearance, and it is just that in our playroom.
Toy Storage
Clearly because this is a playroom – there are toys that needed to be stored in the space. We built DIY built-ins for the majority of the storage (full tutorial is here) but also needed another basket for some larger items, as well as book storage.
The book ledges keep books easy accessibly for kids but also clean and pretty. In this case I opted for 3 shelves for more storage and to make more of a visual impact. If you are looking for books that when put on display are both beautiful and good reads I have a full blog post here with great options.
I have some other great posts on kids toy storages here – so be sure to check those out before you go.
Alright – so the space is functional, but we had to make it pretty too. This space is right off our entryway so I didn’t want to go too juvenile but I also wanted to make sure it still felt different than the rest of the house – and playful.
Moth Prints
I knew I wanted large pieces of art work over the built ins and ended up with these gorgeous framed pieces from Minted. I loved that the frames were high end, but also not glass because – well KIDS.
You can find my exact prints here AND as a bonus – they were kind enough to give you guys a discount on frames if you purchase a print. Use the code ARINFRAMES.
(mine are 30×40 in the gold gilded frame)
Furniture to Accent Sherwin Williams Romance
I went back and forth on furniture in this room as we figured out how to make it best serve our family. My kids are almost 9, almost 7, 4, and almost 2. That means the older 2 don’t ‘play’ as much anymore, and our second youngest does go to school all day starting this year.
We originally just used our nugget – which I LOVE, but I found that the kids were always camped on our living room couches to watch tv. (and I couldn’t take another episode of Liv and Maddie). I ended up ordering a sleeper sectional for the room that I am obsessed with.
This is the exact one we got – but I will also be doing a full review on the sofa for those of you wanting more info on it!. I went with a darker gray to keep things more masculine with the Sherwin Williams Romance. I think the end result ended up being gorgeous.
Aside from that we were able to keep things pretty simple. I kept these little chairs from the DIY table I made Goldie and they are perfect at the window table for her to have snacks or sit and color.
Frame TV
One of the bigger splurge items in this playroom was the Frame TV. We have a Frame TV in our living room and LOVE it, so we decided to splurge and really complete the room in this room.
We had recently updated the fireplace with penny tile and paint so I knew that the fireplace was going to be a focal point. It wasn’t super easy to do (had to get a bit creative with the box) but it was SO worth having a really clean look above the fireplace.
If you are on the fence about the Frame TV I have nothing but great things to say about it. It has been one (two) of our favorite purchases, and really makes having a tv in a space less of an eye sore.
Accessorizing around Sherwin Williams Romance
When you go pink on the walls – things are pretty bold. That meant keeping the accessories to a minimum. I wanted to accessorize in a way that was playful and fun for a playroom, yet pretty and not cluttered.
Shall we also include that I didn’t want anything breakable because…kids? I kept everything super simple and am linking all the cute accessories below. If you have any questions leave them in the comments!
I think that covers all the accessories. Like I said – we kept things at a minimum because it is a playroom so the kids add LOTS of their own flare with toys covering every spot.
Other Posts You’ll Love
If you loved this post – here are a few others you will love!
Hopefully you found some great inspiration for your your own room using Sherwin Williams Romance and have a better feel for how it looks in a home. If you have any questions leave them in the comments below, and be sure to follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) to see more of what we are doing in this house! Pin the photo below before you go.
It’s that glorious time of the year yet again, where we all scramble to buy the hot items from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. I am no fashion blogger, but I do love to grab some of the staple items that I love at a great price.
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Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks
This year is a bit different than most – the world is in a fragile state, and I am trying hard to both share great items that I MYSELF am excited about, while also being sure not to spam you with a million links you don’t need.
I tend to use the Nordstrom anniversary sale to get some fall fashion staples, as well as great back to school clothes and shoes for my kids. Aside from that it is a great time to get Christmas gifts early, and stock up on some quality items that are marked way down.
Shopping the Sale
Shopping the sale is always done in tiers – card holders and higher spenders can shop sooner than the general public. I am going to give my tips and disclaimers below on that!
Things do sell out – That shouldn’t make you feel pressured to buy things you don’t need. But also it is worth noting
Nordstrom is great about returns – So don’t feel like you can’t return things you change your mind on or don’t fit (especially important this year when you will likely shop online).
Some items will go on sale later – Some items will be on sale later – maybe. There is no guarantee and there are items that I think are worth doing 100% on the sale for unmatchable prices, but it is worth noting.
Kids/ Baby Picks
Sometimes this is the best time to get some staple baby and kiddo items – last year we got Goldie her carseat on the sale and they have the same deal (which is a great deal!) again this year.
There are a few other staples that I think are always worth it – Baby bling bows are always marked way down and are the best bows ever, and the shoes especially Uggs and hunters are great. Almost all of this is stuff I am getting myself or already own!
Floral Print Camp Shirt – this would be so fun for little boys in a family photo. You could pull colors from the flowers for the rest of the family’s looks.
Jeans, shoes and sweaters are always my go to on this sale!
I also think this is always a good time to get SPANX leggings and Zella at great prices – and Nordstrom PJs are by far my favorite.
Fashion is most definitely not why most of you follow me or read my blog. Not to say I don’t think I dress well, but I definitely have more fun dressing my kids and my home. The reason every blogger, fashion enthusiast, and basically just everyone LOVES this sale is because this isn’t items going on sale as an end of season sale, but instead great items that are going to be hot looks for the season that you can get ahead of time on sale.
Last but not least – some picks for home. I didn’t choose a lot on this. Mostly because honestly – I didn’t think that many of the great items were a big enough savings to note. I will say that the Barefoot Dreams blankets are very soft, and the new leopard print comes in several shades and is so cute!
I, of course, love this sale to grab some items for myself. But, I really love this sale to grab some great gifts at great prices. So many of these items tend to round out my gift guides, so if you think you want to gift anything in the sale this year, I’d encourage you to grab it while it is on sale and in stock. Hopefully that helped you find some great picks from this years Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and you are able to stock up on some items you will love.
Hopefully this helped you find the best shower wall material ideas. Be sure to pin the photo below for later, and if you don’t already – follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) and Tik Tok (@arinsolange) for more helpful hints, and if you have any questions leave them in the comments below and I will get back to you!
We finished some DIY built ins about a week ago and oh my goodness is it LOVE! I had a vision for adding stylish and hidden storage to our playroom and they turned out exactly how I was envisioning them – including the DIY drawer pulls made from baked clay.
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DIY Drawer Pulls
When I shared on Instagram that I was doing DIY drawer pulls I think I scared half of my followers. Honestly? That is fair – these little guys gave me more trouble than the full set of built ins.
Finding a way to DIY something small that needs to be SO FUNCTIONAL is hard. And when it comes to sharing a tutorial with you all I never want to share something that will waist your time or money – so it needs to work in real homes being used by real people.
The first go around of these pulls didn’t work for that – they were fine but with kids pulling on them (aka the ultimate test) they wouldn’t stay perfectly level so I knew it was either try one last thing or admit my defeat and be done.
The thing on it is – I really had this vision of a HUGE drawer pull in my mind and didn’t want to spend a fortune making that vision happen. Admitting defeat was going to mean spending a lot more money and I didn’t want to have to do that.
Behind the Room and Our Home
So a little backstory of this house and these built ins that brought ups to the DIY drawer pulls. My husband and myself – along with our 4 kids (who are more of spectators than helpers) are renovating an 1860’s home. Over the past year we have been renovating every corner in both big and small ways, and this room is finally getting its final touches.
I feel like most of our rooms got the initial “move in and make it work” thing pretty quick. Now we are headed into the phase where we are making rooms exactly what we dreamed of. I am going through and making spaces work well for us in both an aesthetic and functional way.
These built ins and drawer pulls are in our playroom which is right off the front door. That is new for us, because we previously had a basement playroom – so I really had to find ways to make this space full of storage that was hidden.
The room also functions as our guest room – so that means the importance of hiding the toys was even more. It also meant that the drawer pulls would be used by lots of little hands and hands that don’t live here often – and thus would need to be sturdy.
The Built Ins
Before I get to the actual drawer pulls – here is the blog post for the built in cabinets. These were made from stock cabinets and done fully in one weekend – so if you are wanting to try some built ins definitely check it out!
Now let’s get to why you are here, shall we? These are DIY cabinet pulls made from baking clay and some special bolts. Like I said above – I originally made these without the special bolts and that was a no go. No matter the adhesive, it wasn’t strong enough.
So when you see some of the photos in this post keep in mind that you should follow my method via text not photos – I did a couple of unnecessary steps because of that.
Supplies for DIY Drawer Pulls
Oven Baked Clay – you will get 2 or 3 out of each log – this is the least expensive price I have seen
Paint
Rolling pin
Cookie Cutter (or a lid or something – just needs to be smooth and deep enough)
Before you start anything you need to decide how thick you want your drawer pulls to be – you then need to find a couple of things both that thick to use as spacers. This might mean hot glue sticks, the handles to kitchen utensils, Thick straws, wood dowels and so on. I personally went with the thicker size hot glue stick as my thickness.
Starting with your clay – work it to soften it in your hands, then lay down a VERY SMOOTH piece of wax paper. No wrinkles is incredibly important.
Lay your clay down with your guide pieces off to each side, and lay another piece of flat wax paper over the top.
Use your rolling pin and carefully roll a circle larger than your cookie cutter until it is fully even.
Once it is rolled you need to cut your circle out CAREFULLY and place it on a baking sheet to cook. One side needs to be pretty smooth, however I do think these have a vintage charm to them so don’t stress tiny imperfections.
Once you have done all of them bake them per the instructions on the clay.
Once Baked spray paint them in the color of your choice.
Then drill a hole through the center and add your screw.
Spray paint again to match the screw.
Add one or 2 washer(s) on the back of the drawer pull to help it stick out from the cabinet and add toy our cabinet.
Secure with a washer on the back.
And that is it – these are honestly super easy and can be easily done in one day. The biggest hold up for me was the trouble shooting which I have already done for you.
Other Posts You will Love
If you are on this post you probably love a good, easy DIY, so I have a few great other posts below that I think you will love!
Hopefully with this helpful tutorial you feel ready to tackle some DIY drawer pulls from baked clay. Be sure to pin the photo below to find this post later, and if you have any questions, and to see more DIY’s be sure you are following me on Instagram (@arinsolange) for all the day to day action.
The Best Ceiling Fans For Bedroom Comfort: A Fan For Every Climate
Things are heating up in St. Louis and being our first summer in our historic home we are in a mad dash to add ceiling fans to the last of the bedrooms that don’t have them. When I am doing these kinds of updates I always assume I am not alone in my looking so I thought I would share the best ceiling fans for bedroom options and what to look for in a fan.
The Best Ceiling Fans For Bedroom Comfort: A Fan For Every Climate
As you know, we are currently renovating a home in St. Louis, MO. Our home is 150 years old and that means that no matter how you cut the cookie it is hard to keep it cool in the hot summer heat. There is nothing worse than trying to fall asleep in what feels like a sauna.
We are hitting 100 degree days already and it has me looking at what I like and don’t like about the fans in my own home and adding some to the bedrooms that don’t currently have them.
I figured if I am doing the leg work and research I would share them with you all so you can find the best ceiling fans for bedrooms in your home too!
If you follow me here on my blog or on Instagram you probably know that fashion and function both have to exist when it comes to all the decisions I make in my home.
I have 4 kids and want life to be fun and easy, but I also LOVE decor and a pretty home, so I work hard to marry those two things. I am a FIRM believer that you don’t have to sacrifice a beautiful home as a mom – but you do have to look harder sometimes. And that is where I come in on this post.
Fans are getting easier to make stylish while still functioning well to keep you cool. This post will walk you through all the considerations for a functional fan, unique features, and a variety of styles and designs. I hope that I am able to help you look at your home, and your rooms so you can find exactly what you need.
Bedroom Ceiling Fan: With or Without a Light?
It is easy to get overwhelmed by choices when looking at ceiling fans. Gone are the days of your white plastic bedroom fan from the 1980s. Now, you have the luxury of not having to choose between style, function, and efficiency.
One decision making factor you will have to make is whether or not you need a ceiling fan with a light in the room. You may have a room with little to no lighting and installing a fan with a light is a no-brainer for you. I mean if that is your only light fixture in the room then it is the clear winner.
Pro Light
Ceiling fans with lights can make a dramatic impact in the room enhancing the room’s features. It can also add a unique effect to the fan itself with metallic accents, farmhouse beading, or hurricane glass. The choice is yours when it comes to styling.
If you fall in love with a fan without a light, but prefer to have lighting included, there are several light kits that you can purchase separately. Just ensure the fan and light kit are compatible. If this is the route you decide to go, I’d recommend sticking to the same brand for both the fan and light to ensure a universal fit.
If you opt for a lighted fan, its a good idea to install LED light bulbs which are not only more energy efficient (who doesn’t want help on that dreaded energy bill), but LED lights also don’t need to be changed as frequently.
Let’s face it, who really wants to take the time or energy to grab a ladder to change a lightbulb? (although maybe we should so we can dust those blades haha! A clear downside to fans that is worth it haha).
Leave The Light
With all the benefits of a fan with lighting, there are several reasons why you may want or perhaps need a fan without any lighting. For many of us, we may not have the option to install a ceiling fan with a light without an electricity project. Getting your room rewired for a ceiling fan with a light may involve hiring an electrician and can add an additional cost.
Ceiling fans without lights can also look aesthetically cleaner, and many times have a more modern look. They also provide you the option to add lighting in other manners (think sconces, table lamps, etc.).
The fan’s light may also diminish the height of the ceiling which is why fans without lighting can enhance the height of the room. For rooms with lower ceilings (think 8 ft), adding a ceiling fan with a light will dramatically decrease the ceiling height and in turn make the room look smaller.
Taking into Account Ceiling Height & Size Of Your Rooms
Knowing the size of your space and height of your ceilings is key in picking the best ceiling fans for bedroom. An oversized fan in small bedrooms can make the room feel cramped and will blow you away, while a small ceiling fan in an oversized room will look way out of place and won’t do its job properly.
As a general rule of thumb, smaller rooms do best with smaller fans and larger rooms do best with large fans. Ultimately, you need to pick the correct size for your space to reap the energy efficiency benefits.
Ceiling fan size is based on blade span/ blade size because the rotating blades cause the air flow and circulation within the room. Blade span is measured from the tip of one blade to the tip of the blade directly across from it. It is important that you know the square footage of your room to choose the appropriate blade span.
Here is a quick breakdown of suggested ceiling fan sizes based on square footage of your room. Now, I know, you didn’t think you’d ever need math, but, here we are! Take the length and width of your room and multiply it to give you your square footage of your room.
Up to 75 sq. ft. = 36 in. or smaller
76-145 sq. ft. = 36-42 in.
146-225 sq. ft. = 44 in.
226-400 sq. ft. = 50-54 in.
Over 400 sq. ft. = 60 in. and over
Ceiling Height
Ceiling height is also key. Knowing your ceiling height will help you determine how to mount your ceiling fan (we’ll get into that in a minute!). As a general rule of thumb, your ceiling fan height (which is the height from floor to ceiling blade) should be 8 feet or more.
This is not only for safety reasons but also allows enough air flow to properly circulate around the room. For those with low ceilings, flush mount ceiling fans are the best option as it is mounted straight to the ceiling.
Those with high ceilings can use a downrod mount. This is generally used when you have a ceiling height over 8 feet (which most rooms have). The higher the ceiling, the longer the downrod you may need to hang at the optimal 8 feet. This is also helpful when it comes to cleaning, bulb changing, and general maintenance.
Here is a breakdown of downrod length based on ceiling height:
10 ft. ceiling height = 12 in. downrod
11 ft. ceiling height = 18 in. downrod
12 ft. ceiling height = 24 in. downrod
13 ft. ceiling height = 36 in. downrod
14 ft. ceiling height = 48 in. downrod
15 ft. ceiling height = 60 in. downrod
16 ft. ceiling height = 72 in. downrod
A quick note on downrods and special circumstances. Fans with lighting kits require 12 inches be subtracted from the downrod length for proper fit. For those with sloped ceilings, make sure the fan that you buy can accommodate an install at an angle! There are sloped-ceiling mounted kits available as an option if your fan needs one.
Make sure you pay attention and select the correct mounting type based on your ceiling height before you purchase your fan. Nobody likes returns!
Lastly, make sure your room is wide enough to accommodate the rotating blades. Blades should have at least an 18 inch clearance from walls. Hanging your fan in the center of the room will help ensure that clearance. Otherwise, you may have another home improvement project on your hands.
Fan Blades 101
Now that we’ve talked ceiling fan size and mounting types, let’s talk ceiling fan blades. Growing up, I always saw the typical ceiling fans with 4 or 5 blades. Now, there are so many different options and styles. Traditional styles tend to have 4 to 5 blades with a very balanced look. It used to be that ceiling fans with 4 and 5 blades were less noisy due to the balanced blades.
Blade Numbers
However, fans with 2-3 blades are more modern and sleek and are just as silent as those with 4+ blades (thank you technology!). Sometimes a. simple design can be a great choice and still keep your room just as cool. To find a quiet fan you are no longer looking at blade numbers – instead that is based on a quiet motor.
The number of blades a ceiling fan has does not determine how efficient the fan cools the air. Rather, the motor and blade pitch of the ceiling fan determine the fan’s efficiency.
The ceiling fan’s blade pitch is the angle of the fan’s blade that determines how much air can be moved around the room. Ideally, you want a blade pitch between 12-15 degrees. While this sounds rather technical, most fans are sold with the ideal blade pitch so you don’t need to worry.
Honestly – in the market today fan’s are generally created to be a great addition to your room. But when in fail read reviews. When we were looking at ceiling fans for our home I read the reviews on the fans before purchasing. I knew we needed them to work well, so I spent the time making sure people found them cooling spaces.
Now, let’s talk ceiling fan blade materials. Blade materials range from metals, woods, MDF, and plastic/acrylic. Each material has pros and cons. Metals are best used in outdoor spaces but can give a great industrial feel to an indoor space.
Premium wood blades are more expensive and can create a luxurious atmosphere. For a more budget friendly option, MDF and plastic are often used as they are inexpensive to produce and easily manufactured.
This gorgeous nursery is done by my sweet friend – she used a gorgeous cage fan – see her full post here.
Clear acrylic blades can be such a fun statement to a room. Generally the material isn’t going to effect the overall usefulness of a fan. They are pretty much all a great option.
When it comes to the color of the blades as well as any hardware there are a million great choices to go with any decor style. Don’t be afraid to mix metals between hardware of the fan and hardware in the decor space. You can create a personalized and unique look this way!
A Ceiling Fan With Reversible Motor Option
Choosing a fan with a quality motor is important as it helps determine the fan’s efficiency. Considering that you may have your fan on at all times of the day and night for airflow, it is essential to ensure you are using high performing materials. Motors are available as AC motor or DC motor (insert band joke here).
Breaking Down ACDC
Now I could get very technical and describe what each of these means, but let’s jump ahead to what you really need to know. AC motors are less expensive and have 4 speed options, while DC motors are more expensive, more energy efficient, tend to be quieter, and have more speed options. How fancy you want to go is up to you, just make sure it is a quality and trusted brand.
By far, a great feature of a motor is one that allows reverse airflow, which in turn allows you to use your fan year round. Now, raise your hand if you were this many years old before you realized that fans can have reverse airflow! – I know for a fact that my husband didn’t know until about 2 weeks ago when I asked him to reverse our fan blades, and he tried to pull them out for the reverse color haha.
Blades should spin at a high speed counterclockwise in summer to create cooling air that blows down at you. In the winter months, you can reverse the fan to spin clockwise, which will circulate warm air that rises to the ceiling back down to you. Is your mind officially blown?
I can tell you that if you haven’t used this feature on your fans – we have the same Hunter Ceiling fan in our master bedroom as the one just installed in our playroom. My husband was commenting on how much cooler he felt under the one in our playroom.
We reversed the motor direction and instantly felt so much better under our main bedroom fan! So Make sure you are taking advantage of that for the right air movement in your space. (as a side note – CLEAN your fan blades before you do this. If you don’t all the sitting dust will fall like snow on your room.
How many times have you pulled your fan’s pull chains only to discover that you turned the light feature on rather than the fan feature (or vice versa)? Imagine laying in bed and using a remote control to turn off the fan, rather than getting out of bed, walking over to the fan, pulling the cord, walking back to bed, and then going back to sleep.
No more wrestling cords! Nowadays wall mounted controls and remote controls are standard with all fans. There are also smart ceiling fan options, as well as fans with fancy wall switches that can be a good choice if you think keeping track of remote controls won’t be best in your house.
We personally opted for a couple fans with awesome wall mounted controls as well as some with remotes and I can see the bonus sides to both. (but the remotes can make me nervous with kids misplacing things!)
Below I am sharing several round ups of several best ceiling fans for bedroom that I personally love no matter your style. I shared in the comments which fans we own personally as well. Keep in mind that although changing our lighting and fans is something many of us can do ‘DIY’ – if you choose to do so make sure you have turned off the power to that room before doing any electrical work. Safety first over here!
This small fan has clear blades that pop out of the top – a great option for a space where you don’t always want a ceiling fan but would like the option.
This ceiling fan is shown in this blog post in the photo with my canopy bed. We have this Hunter Fan company fan in two rooms. It comes with a great wall control panel and the blades can be wood or white facing down.
I hope this post helped you find the best ceiling fans for bedroom and you feel confident in some choices for your home. If you have any questions – as always leave them in the comments below. You can also pin the photo below to find this post later and help others find the perfect fans for their home. For more home decor inspiration be sure to follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) and shoot me a DM to tell me hi!
We are on house number 3 – and in our minds this is our LONG TERM house. We have learned so much over the years when it comes to owning homes, and making updates – and I will share more on the indoor areas later, but since it’s summer – and we all want to be outside enjoying our spaces – let’s chat about some simple outdoor fixes and updates to do that will make the life of your home more enjoyable!
This post was graciously sponsored by Hoffmann Brothers. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the Brands that support my page!
Simple Outdoor Fixes to Your Home
I feel like before I hit on all of these fixes – note that we have done some of these, but they are all on our 2 year list. I never want it to come across as though we have all the money in the world to do all the updates right away.
I think it is important to pick and choose which fixes are most important, but also group them when you can to cut down on calls to get them done. After all, our sanity with less phone calls does count for something!
Although I have touched on some other FUN things you can do outside on my page this is going to be one of my more PRACTICAL posts – because it can’t all be smore’s and bonfires right? Haha
Adding or Moving Outdoor Electrical Outlets
When we moved into our home we had 1 electrical outlet outside of our house. ONE – and it was smack dab in the middle of our yard haha. It was literally a metal pole that stuck up in the middle of the grass with an electrical box on it.
We made an assessment for what we would need electrical for most and had the electrical box moved to the house, but have since decided it would work best to have 2 more added. This was a simple fix for Hoffmann Brothers in St. Louis. They came out and in the matter of a couple of hours had quoted the project, completed the work, and were on their way.
They were also able to help walk us through where some other ‘easier’ places would be to add them in the future so that we can get that scheduled. One thing I love about Hoffmann Brothers is that their technicians are all so knowledgeable so we KNOW the work is being done safely, but we are also always able to sort of vet some info on future projects.
In this case we had so many other expenses we knew adding 3 outlets wasn’t going to happen that day, but now we know how to prep for that.
Places to consider when it comes to outdoor electrical:
Patio: This is huge and will be our next outlet placement. Thing Projectors, Fans, Music, and so much more. With a back patio being an extension of a living space you definitely want an outlet there if you don’t have one!
Front Porch: This is a great place to add an outlet for holiday lights. We plan to do this before this coming holiday season, but were just trying to figure out our best placements for doing so!
Work Spaces: If you guys use power tools, having an outlet added to a space to designated work can be really helpful. You all know that is the case for us!
Charing Station: Another thing to consider is if you think you need an outlet where yourself or your kids can charge things.
These are just a few of the options to consider, but we have realized that having the outlet added instead of investing in 20 extension cords, and to make life easier is a maybe ‘not fun’ expense, but will save you so much headache while you’re living in your house!
Running Gas to a Fire Table or Grill
Here is another fix that will help keep your sanity as time goes on. If you love to grill or use a firepit, have a gas line run to your grill or fire pit. Not having to pick up propane tanks or store extras over the years will make this a worthwhile update (and ultimately is much safer than having additional propane in your garage!)
Add Outdoor Beams
One of the best things we did this year was add outdoor beams by our patio. We did this initially only for hanging bistro lights – which we love, but have realized for the price they have so many additional uses.
Hanging Bistro Lights
Instead of Large Umbrellas We can hook these up for added shade on our patio!
We were able to get an inexpensive projector screen to hook on the posts for easier movie nights.
Consider Comfort
The last outdoor useful update I will chat about is slightly less of a ‘need’ but still something to consider. In St. Louis it is hot and HUMID all summer. So there is nothing better than a breeze. Hoffmann Brothers can come and install a fan to your outdoor (or indoor) living space to make you more comfortable.
Adding a ceiling fan to your front porch, or even a wall mounted fan to a back patio if you don’t have a covered portion can increase your comfort in big ways!
All in all – what I am saying is. Don’t wait on some of the more ‘practical’ updates to your house. Sam and I have lists of projects we want done. One list for the pretty/fun, and one list for the stuff we need to intertwine to make our lives easier and safer in our house.
We are always JUST as thankful when we do the practical updates because they make enjoying the ‘pretty’ ones that much better. If you are in St. Louis and are looking to have some of these updates done – reach out to Hoffmann Brothers. They are so friendly and will walk you through how they can help!
Pin the Photo Below for Later
Hopefully this gives you a list of some things to be thinking about for your outdoor spaces, and will help you to more fully enjoy your home. Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) for more tips and fun – and to watch us update this historic home!
Can we all collectively say how much we have learned to grow and adjust in the past year? Adjusting back to a more ‘normal’ life has meant me trying to juggle my 4 kids – working full time from home, and Sam working again, so I thought I would share 5 things I have implanted in my life to streamline our lives and keep us more sane.
This post is sponsored by Walmart+ – All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my blog.
Streamlining Life
Okay, so what do I mean by streamlining life? Basically I realized around the first of the year that I was never going to stop feeling flustered and stressed all the time if I didn’t make some changes.
I was going to have 4 kids. We were going to have 2 working parents, and there were never going to be more than 24 hours in a day. But I also have a high desire to make our lives fun – and to seek the things that aren’t working in our lives or that can be changed to make our lives better and change them.
In the past 6 months I have changed 5 major things in our family that have slowly helped streamline our lives and cut out some of the stress. None of it meant instant change, but all of it has meant gaining just a little bit of sanity back.
#1 – Grocery Delivery with Walmart+
This is the biggest change for us! I have had Walmart+ for a while now, but FINALLY really started fully using it to its abilities for us and our family. I now tell every person – but especially mom – I meet that this is the game changer move they need to do in their lives.
Walmart+allows me to order from our local Walmart store and have delivery as soon as today. There is a $35 minimum and restrictions do apply which is easily always met for me. The biggest reason we use Walmart+ is that IT IS THE SAME LOW PRICES YOU LOVE. I don’t think people understand that that is a big deal when it comes to grocery delivery especially.
There are some weeks I do an extra order for some small stuff I forgot, but in the spirit of telling you just how I have run things to help make my life more simple:
– On Friday I sit down with my list and create an order online
– I schedule the delivery for the first thing on Sunday morning when I know we will all be home. I do it early because I know I will think of something and that gives me time to add to my order for about 24 hours.
– When our order is on its way I clean out our fridge with anything we don’t need anymore or that is old so that I am fully ready to load it up.
For me this has easily been our biggest time saver – We no longer have to divide and conquer with the kids to go to the store. It was also A LIFESAVER for Walker’s birthday this year that snuck up on me. I was able to add his gifts to my order and never had to leave to shop since he is home with us all summer. I will link to what I got him below!
Other Benefits of Walmart+
Mobile Scan & Go – Shop and checkout from your phone in store!
Member Pricing on Fuel – Save 5¢ per gallon at most Walmart, Sam’s Club & Murphy stations. You will also get member pricing at Sam’s Club fuel centers.
Walmart+ free shipping – no order minimum on items from Walmart.com (excludes oversized/freight & Marketplace items) with next-day and two-day shipping options.
Rx for Less – *Not available in all states. Cannot be combined with insuranceGet select prescriptions for as little as $0 & save up to 85% on thousands more at participating Walmart pharmacies.**Not available in all states. The program is not insurance and cannot be combined with insurance. Savings off of the overall regular nationwide retail pharmacy prices based upon 2020 national program savings data from MedImpact; average savings are 65%.California targetable:Get select prescriptions for as little as $2 & save up to 85% on thousands more at Walmart pharmacies.**Not available in all states. The program is not insurance and cannot be combined with insurance. Savings off of the overall regular nationwide retail pharmacy prices based upon 2020 national program savings data from MedImpact; average savings are 65%.If the asset is so small, we can’t have the savings source disclaimer & targetable in only states it is available:Get select prescriptions for as little as $0 & save big on thousands more at Walmart pharmacies.*Not available in all states. The program is not insurance and cannot be combined with insuranceFTC Guidelines:
So as you can see – adding Walmart+ to our lives allows us to save money and time in so many ways – which is the main goal I have right now! To sign up for Walmart+ click the link here. It is quick and easy and you will be thanking in no time.
Some Favorites to Add to your Next Order:
#2 – Outsourcing in the right ways
This one is hard – but I had to take a deep look at why I am working, and realize that I wanted to outsource work that took me AWAY from my kids more than outsourcing childcare.
For us that meant hiring someone who helped with some general around the house chores like the kids’ laundry and such. I found so much guilt in this at first, but I quickly realized that I have chosen a career that allows me to be home and with my kids while also making a full time income. I am not a superhero and I can not do it all, so I needed to either have Goldie go to daycare or have help with other stuff.
#3 Better Use of Calendars and Lists
This one might seem silly – but I have a laminator and made a quick printable. We use the printable to go over our daily goals between Sam and I and it is so helpful. At the end of the day we wipe it clean and start fresh!
We also were using it with our nanny which I highly suggest if you have any in person help.
Sam and I also got on a better page by using a large at home calendar to keep our lives a bit more organized! We now have any and all needs for each kid in the family on one calendar.
#4 – Cutting back on what I manage
I spent the first 5 years of being a mom as a full time stay at home mom. That means I am well versed in handling all emails/ all things, but the reality is I was feeling things fall through the cracks. I sat down with Sam and we decided to have a few things no longer even come through my inbox.
Those are things like sports for the kids and anything dental related since he is in that business. No longer having a few things come through my inbox was needed for my sanity, but also to keep things running smoothly.
#5 – Lowering expectations.
One thing that I honestly have had to come to terms with – even though I am so type A is that I can no longer do EVERYTHING in the same way I used to. That has taken me years AND YEARS to come to terms with – but I had to realize that it is OKAY to trade some things for others.
For example – I traded having perfectly organized photo books every 3 months for having 2 more kids that keep me too busy for that. That trade off is very easy when I look at it that way.
I also traded off having time to DIY every little thing my heart desires for the ability to live less stressed financially. Again an easier trade off when I look at things that way.
All in all – life is about enjoying it. And not every season is easy to fully enjoy, so finding ways to streamline the things that do cause stress are HUGE. There are amazing companies out there like what Walmart is doing with Walmart+ that can make our lives as busy moms SO MUCH better if we just take the time to adjust how we were previously doing things.
Be sure to sign up for Walmart+here and I would LOVE to hear in the comments what your favorite feature ends up being, or how it helps you in your life.
Pin the Photo Below for Later
Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) for more tips, tricks, and DIY’s that will make your life that much better. Before you leave be sure to pin the photo below so you can find this post later.
I have been DYING to do this DIY since the moment we moved into our house last fall and I finally convinced Sam on a whim to help me tackle them! We did DIY built in cabinets from stock cabinets and they were start to finish done in just a couple of days – so today I will walk you through doing your own!
This post may contain affiliate links
DIY Built in Cabinets
This is not my first rodeo on DIY built ins – in our last house one of my first BIG DIYs was DIY Built in Cabinets from IKEA Billy Bookcases and they remained a favorite project until we moved.
These tutorials are all a bit unique because they have to be modified for your space – but this time I went into the tutorial knowing that which was helpful.
I went back and forth this time on whether to make this an IKEA hack like I have done in the past or not, and ultimately decided to use stock cabinets from the hardware store instead for two reasons.
IKEA is struggling BIG TIME to keep things in stock – I always aim to create tutorials that will help you in your life, and if you can’t get ahold of the pieces from IKEA it is in no way helpful.
Not everyone has an IKEA close to them – so I also knew this would be a tutorial that would allow for more people to do it. So you non IKEA people win on this one! (price was nearly identical so that didn’t play a factor).
Why I Wanted Built in Cabinets:
In our last house our kids had a large basement playroom which meant toy storage didn’t have to be amazing because I could forget the playroom existed from time to time.
Fast forward to our current home. We are currently renovating an 1860s home where the basement resembles more of a dungeon, so the kids playroom is on the main floor. That means that I need things to be pretty – because otherwise I will lose my marbles.
The room serves several functions as well with a guest room when guests come, and more of a TV/hangout room for our older kids, so I have been getting creative in in the rooms function so that Goldie and Walker still have ample toys at their level, while they aren’t everywhere.
Level of Difficulty
This is always one of the number one things I am asked on DIYs – especially larger ones. Because lets face it – they are a bit daunting. So lets get that out of the way – as well as coverage of what tools you need so you know if it is going work for you!
Skill Level – Low Intermediate
You will need to be comfortable using a drill, a miter saw, circular saw (or you can pay for this cut at the hardware store) and a sander
DIY Built in Cabinets from Stock Cabinets Tutorial
Now lets get to the tutorial – Total cost for us was roughly $500 but lumber costs change CONSTANTLY so your price will vary.
Also as stated above – these tutorials are all specific to your space – you will HAVE TO measure your openings and may not want to do the little table space like we did – I will walk you through the measuring, but it will likely not be the exact same as mine!
Supply List Cabinets Only:
Upper Cabinets – You want the maximum number of cabinets that will fit butted up to themselves in your space. For us that was 4 sets of these cabinets. Each cabinet measures 30 inches wide.
Lumber for between the wall and cabinets – for us that was a different piece on each side. On either side of our windows it was 63 and 64 inches. You want a piece of lumber to fit in that space – ours worked well where we could buy the pieces but if not purchase a 1x however wide board and either use your circular saw or have the hardware store cut it into strips to fit.
Bottom Trim – We personally used 1×6 trim for this – that was because we have VERY tall trim in the house and it looked good to add height. I would say for a traditional house I would use a 1×4. You need enough length to go the full bottom of your cabinets. Your base piece needs to be as tall or taller than your baseboards to keep the rest of this tutorial with no notifications!)
Quarter Round – optional but was best for us because this is an old house with uneven floors.
1×24 poplar for the counter tops – THIS IS IMPORTANT – this only works if the 1×24 is true width of 24 not lumber measurements. Because you will need this cut in half at 12 inches wide each for your counter top to the cabinets. (length needs to cover the cabinets and added space at the ends.
2.5 inch Screws
Wood filler
Caulk
Wood Glue
Paint – mine are satin Sherwin Williams ‘Romance’
Added Supplies if you are Adding the Center Table like we did:
2×12 for the length of table top you need
Brackets – we actually had these on hand and used them and LOVED them. If you don’t want to spend that you can use traditional brackets.
Watch me create DIY Built in cabinets the easy way - using stock cabinets from the hardware store. Adding Built ins doesn't have to be hard!
Materials
Cabinets - you will need the maximum number that will fit your space with some space left over.
New Group
How to Create your DIY Built in Cabinets
Alright now lets get to your actual creating of these beauties – I am going to walk you through your measurements and things to keep in mind first then the post hardware store run tutorial.
Measuring your Space/ Things to Consider
If doing ONLY built in cabinets: measure the full length of your wall and divide that by 30. You will need the maximum FULL number that you found.
So if your wall measured 188 inches 188 divided by 30 gives you 6.26 – so you need SIX cabinets. The excess 8 inches will be filled with lumber.
If you are adding the table: It is the same general idea – just measure how many cabinets can fit MINUS what will be tabletop!
Things to consider:
The cabinets are 12 inches deep – windows or doors/ outlets on the walls adjacent that will be affected should be considered.
Height of windows above – if you have to adjust to different cabinets for height do so.
Attaching the Stock Cabinets
First things first – go along your wall and make some marks ABOVE where you will be adding cabinets where the studs are – if you do this all at once you will be able to get your cabinets up quickly.
Starting with your center most cabinet (for me that meant one of the cabinets closer to the window) get your cabinet in place on the wall RESTING on your baseboard in the back. Attach it to the wall inside the cabinet with 2.5 inch screws into the studs. You will want to use several screws.
Moving outward from that one continue on doing that – but your cabinets up to each other so they are even in the front and and top and get all cabinets attached to the walls.
Adding the Trim Work and Top:
Now you are going to start making them look built in. Take your bottom piece of lumber and slide it under the cabinets – The goal is that it’s a tight fit – but if it isn’t your quarter round will hide any gap to the floor.
You will cut this piece to the length needed to go from the end of the cabinets to the baseboard (so under the gap as well). You may need to cut a small notch out for baseboards on the other wall – if you do that is fine – caulk will make it look perfect. You may want to use to your multi-tool to do that cut!
Slide the board in place making sure it is perfectly lined up in both directions and drill in from the inside lip of the cabinets.
If you are doing one long wall of built ins you may need 2 or 3 boards to complete this length. Cut the boards at their meeting place on a bias (or diagonal) for a more optimal seam.
Once that is in it is time to add your side pieces – which in some ways might be your hardest job.
Length should be easily measured but width – you need this to be a tight fit. Like I said we got lucky because exact pieces of lumber fit in, but if not measure your space and cut your 1 by __ board to the width you need.
Slide your board down into the slot – you may need to use a rubber mallet to get it in. once in place coming from the inside of the cabinet doors screw the board in place.
Now for the table top – you are going to take your 1×24 piece of poplar and cut it in half so you have a 1×12. Cut to length and attach with wood glue and your nail gun!
Adding the Table
For us the table made sense for a few reasons. One, Goldie is only 1 and I still wanted her to have a little play table. We sold this one that I made so I knew I wanted something that would fit in the space. Two, we have a huge window in the space.
The method we used for the table will work for a bench as well – it has a high weight threshold. As a reminder – you can come up with a different way or you an use traditional brackets for this. We had the other brackets on hand so it worked great.
We lined our brackets up to the back of our boards and Sam used the tool they came with to drill holes into the board.
Once that was done you hang the bracket – it is IMPORTANT you get into studs wherever you can. These are designed to get 2 screws at least in the studs basically no matter what.
Once the bracket was on we added the side pieces of the cabinets to make them look finished then slid the tabletop on. It was a TIGHT FIT but worked great!
Finish Work for DIY Built in Cabinets
Now you should have what looks like some gorgeous cabinets, but there is some finish work to do.
Adding quareter round to the bottom was needed on ours to look more seamless, and you will want to caulk all your seams around the walls.
Once your caulk is dry you can give the table top and top of the cabinets a sanding and you will be ready to paint. For painting cabinets you can check out this tutorial – it doesn’t have to be quite so thorough since these are unfinished but will still give you good info!
Last but not least add your cabinet hardware – I wanted something bold but on a budget so will be blogging that DIY later this week if you are interested in the pulls from mine!
That is it – now you have great storage, a gorgeous new focal area and all of it can be done in a weekend!
Other Posts You’ll Love
If you loved this DIY check out some other posts you’ll love!
Hopefully you feel confident and ready to tackle some DIY built in cabinets with stock cabinets and you know exactly what you’re doing. Be sure to pin the photo below for later to find this post, and be following me on Instagram (@arinsolange) for lots more DIY fun!
We are finally getting more settled in our newly renovated home – and that means getting all the decor and finishing touches. We have a gorgeous white kitchen, and new hardwood floor so I wanted to find a kitchen rug. After 6 months here I have wavered on my choice so wanted to share the best kitchen rug ideas for your home in one post so you can decide what is right for you!
This post may contain affiliate links
Favorite Kitchen Rug Ideas for your Home
Nothing says a hard choice quite like picking something to put on the floor in one of the most high traffic and highly used spaces in your home. The kitchen is the heart of the home and is an area that will be seen by you and guests any time you’re in your house, but it is also a space that is hard to keep clean.
Gone are the days of the small rug in front of your sink, so now it’s figuring out a stylish option that will fit your home and your life. Large rugs and kitchen runner rugs are now the go to way to add a rug into your kitchen space so that is what we are going to focus on in this post.
As a reminder – my philosophy is always marrying both beauty and function. I don’t think you should have to live in constant worry that your home or items in it will get destroyed, but you also can enjoy it looking beautiful if that is important to you (like it is me).
Below are some great round-ups of the best rugs for your space. I walk you through what to consider to make sure you get the right rug and start loving your kitchen even more than before!
Whether you have a big kitchen or small kitchen – adding a rug to your kitchen floor is a great way to add decor and color that fits your home aesthetic without cluttering your counters.
Rugs can be the perfect accessory and with the vibrant colors, various materials, and multitude of choices you can completely change a room with just the change of a rug.
If you have a white kitchen you may want to add warm colors or bright colors to add depth and dimension to your space, where if you have dark cabinets, it is a great way to lighten the space with a lighter rug.
There are also great new rugs that offer comfort for those of you that stand cooking or washing dishes for long periods of time ( my husband would like you to teach me your ways haha).
There are so many kitchen rug ideas to pick from but that doesn’t mean you can just go willy nilly – okay you CAN but maybe SHOULDN’T. When it comes to your kitchen rug – pending the size of your kitchen you can have 1 or 2.
If you have only one rug, like in my kitchen, make sure it is a large enough size that it fills one space well. Because of the length of my rug it made perfect sense not to have 2 rugs (and would have made 2 look off) which was my plan. I tend to think if you are running your rug perpendicular to your kitchen island you want to make sure it extends past the island on both sides.
If you are using two rugs, match them. I do think that rugs are a great place in your home to add variety, but in the case of kitchen rugs they need to be twins in terms of pattern. In this post you will see how you can use both 1 or 2 rugs. Some people used one rectangular rug – either a runner or small area rug, while you will even see the perfect use of a round rug.
If you have a rug with your kitchen table that is close by, think of them as sisters. They don’t need to be the exact same (and honestly I prefer that they aren’t – but that is preference), but they do need to have some overlapping qualities to keep the space feeling cohesive.
Last – consider your family, traffic, and so on when it comes to the style of rug you do. I have 4 little kids and in hindsight I should have gotten a washable rug for our kitchen. It is so highly trafficked and we are messy.
That said – the pattern that I chose was amazing and worked great for the space. It hides stains and wear and tear well – so even if you pick something washable consider the fact that you likely don’t want to have to wash it ALL the time.
These two items below are MUST HAVE items on hand with any kitchen rug. I promise you will thank me for both – and neither are expensive at all.
Folex – this cleaner seriously takes anything out of anything haha. I didn’t believe it until I owned it and it is a miracle worker. 10/10 rec it!
Rug Tape – I tried so many brands before getting this one from Amazon. It is inexpensive and amazing. I have converted so many of my Instagram followers.
Kitchen Rug Ideas – Washable Rugs
Alright so let’s get to the actual rugs shall we? I am rounding up my favorite washable rugs in this post. For most kitchens you will want either a 3×5 rug (perfect for maybe a wider galley kitchen) or a runner.
Washable rugs are exactly what the name says – a rug that you can throw into your washing machine at home to clean. They are amazing for a high-traffic area a family that knows keeping rugs clean is not in their vocabulary. One thing that I CAN NOT HANDLE is when a rug shows where there has been heavy foot traffic ,so washable rugs have been the best thing or me.
Washable rugs are AWESOME. I have 4 in my house from 2 different brands and love both. THAT SAID – they aren’t perfect. One thing I have learned is that if you are going to get a washable rug, grab some of the Folex cleaner from Amazon and before you wash it, spray and scrub the high traffic and really dirty spots. Then once you wash it they will look great.
You also need to remember that just like clothing, the more you wash something the more it will get worn down, so I wouldn’t go into a washable rug with the idea that it will go in the wash every Sunday like your sheets. It is a backup plan and a spring cleaning to do, but not a weekly chore.
I have both Ruggable and Rugs USA washable rugs – both options are in the round up below, and I love both. The perk to the Rugs USA is that it doesn’t need the pad below, but mine are newer so I can’t fully attest to how they hold up.
Again like I said above there are new padded Kitchen rugs that have been hitting the market and they are gorgeous. These are actually called anti-fatigue rugs. These are great for so many reasons – one being your feet and back if you stand for a long period of time.
If you have ever stood on the foam kitchen mats you know they are so comfortable! They are also in most cases something you can wipe down with a paper towel and cleaning spray so the clean up is really easy.
Last is traditional rugs – which are last but not least. They are still a great option for your kitchen, and what I have in my own kitchen.
These are more affordable and easy to find – so in some cases you can justify buying a new kitchen rug every couple of years compared to the price of some of the washable or padded options. This is a good choice if you like to change your decor often!
You can also keep in mind that you can take your traditional rug outside and power wash it to clean it once or twice a year, so they don’t have to be trashed when they get a little messy. I would stick to a flatweave rug when you are looking at traditional rugs because of the ease of vacuuming and the fact that you won’t have to pluck cookie crumbs out of it.
Another option when it comes to a more traditional rug is to use a jute rug. Jute rugs are GORGEOUS and can be an ideal choice for a kitchen with their natural fibers and neutral tones.
They tend to be pretty easy to blot off and don’t show much ware and tear the way other rugs sometimes do. They also add warmth in an area where you aren’t looking for a warm cuddly rug.
Dark Turkish style – this is super affordable and gorgeous. We have this rug in our upstairs hallway and it is great.
Kitchen Rug Ideas – Outdoor Rugs
The last kitchen rug idea is to do an outdoor rug – outdoor rugs are a great option especially if you are putting a rug in front of the sink. Rugs can get wet and obviously get dirty in your food prep area and this is the perfect way to add in a rug that can easily be hosed off and stands up to water for an affordable price.
Outdoor rugs tend to come in bold colors and various sizes, so you should be able to find a stylish rug for your kitchen no matter what your style is.
That is the last of my round ups and hopefully in all of those options your found the perfect kitchen rug or your space.
Shop Indoor Outdoor Kitchen Rugs Below
All the rugs below are available in runner size as well
Hopefully this round up of the best kitchen rugs helped you find the best choice for your house and you are excited about a new rug for your kitchen. Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) for more home decor and diy inspiration, and pin the photos below to find this post later!
Dressing my girls is one of my favorite things on the planet – so of course I had to round up toddler girl 4th of July outfit ideas. My girls are currently 1 and 6 – so I hit a big range when it comes to sizes and styles in this post!
This post contains affiliate links – written 2021, updated 2022
Toddler Girl 4th of July Outfits
Last year you all loved my 4th of July outfit round up, so I figured I would throw together some great options for those of you getting ready to dress your little girls festive this year.
Some of them are very patriotic, but as with most of my holiday outfit posts, I tried to do mostly options your daughter can wear all season!
Because Memorial Day and the 4th of July can be such a big pool and beach day, I was sure to add plenty of swim options, as well as items for your BBQ or whatever else you have planned.
Red Freshly Picked Mary Janes – Avé has owned these in red and WE LOVE THEM, and now has them in black. They are hands down my favorite shoes for little girls.
Hopefully you found some toddler girl 4th of July outfits you love in this post and feel ready for the fun weekends ahead. Be sure to pin the photo below to find this post later and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram(@arinsolange) and Tik Tok for more summer fun!
With Memorial Day behind us and the 4th of July right around the corner it was time to update my boys 4th of July outfit post. I always love digging around the internet to find you guys some great options no matter your price point or style – so let’s get your boys looking stylish.
This post contains affiliate links – Post was originally written in 2020 – updated in 2022
Boys 4th of July Outfit
Finding outfits for boys can sometimes be trickier than it is for girls, but with 2 of them under my roof, I am always on a mission to find cute things for them to wear.
I HATE spending money on clothes that can’t be worn more than just one day – so when I do these holiday clothing round ups I truly try to focus on some great options they can wear the rest of the season.
With the 4th of July it is extra easy because I feel like the colors lend to yearly wear! My boys love to wear navy – so I tie in lots of navy!
Below you will find a bunch of my favorite items for your handsome little men, and be sure to check out the posts for girls linked at the end if you have girls to dress as well.
Foamies – these are similar to Natives, but I switched to this brand for my kids this year and will never look back. The soft heal has meant no blisters and we are obsessed!
Converse – this is a super great standard option for all kids. Adorable and gender neutral for all your kids to be able to wear.
If you have any questions on these boys 4th of July outfits be sure to leave me a comment below, or shoot me a DM on Instagram (@arinsolange) – I always love connecting with my readers there. And be sure to follow me on Tik Tok for more great summer ideas! Pin the photo below for later so you are sure to find my updated selections each year!
