Tag: before and after

Rolling with It: My First Wallpapering Success

Published on by Amanda LeggetteLeave a comment

From a cluttered corner to a cozy clean zone, our small laundry room glow-up is complete after I finished my first successful wallpapering project in our home.

Let’s talk about one of the most-used, least-loved spaces in our home: the laundry room. For a long time, ours was more of a “dumping ground” than functional zone—open shelves full of visible clutter, a constant eyesore for guests who entered through our garage door or used the nearby guest bathroom.

After living with a half-updated version of the room for over a year, I finally decided it was time to really finish it—and that meant trying something totally new: wallpaper.

Spoiler alert: it totally transformed the space. And yes, I smile every time I walk past it.

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and revisit how much we had done in this space prior to wallpaper.

Before: The Struggle Was Real

When we moved in, this small laundry room had basic open shelving, which seemed helpful at first—but quickly turned into a visual mess. Everything we needed was accessible, but also on full display. Not ideal, especially since this hallway sees so much guest traffic.

I knew the room had potential, but I needed a plan that was budget-friendly and achievable without a full remodel.

The Big Changes (One Step at a Time):

This wasn’t an overnight transformation—it came together piece by piece. If you want to read all about the steps listed below, I wrote about them in detail in this post.

• Ripped out the open shelving (good riddance!)

• Patched and prepped the walls where the new setup wouldn’t cover

• Installed stock cabinets from Lowe’s (I primed, painted, and we installed them ourselves—teamwork win!)

• Built custom cubbies above the cabinets to perfectly fit baskets we already had

• Added beadboard and trim to bring in some texture and charm

• Built custom shelves to go between cabinets (this was also a first). I accomplished making thick shelves by gluing together two pieces of wood then using edge banding to hide the seams. All was sanded and stained to match. They look like one thick shelf.

• Painted, caulked, filled nail holes—all the behind-the-scenes details that make the finish feel clean and professional

For about a year, we lived with those upgrades while I debated how to add that “something special.” I didn’t want it to just feel done—I wanted it to feel designed.

The Finishing Touch: My First Wallpapering Project

Enter: Bold Wallpaper

I’d never wallpapered anything before except for an attempt at a friends home in their powder bath. We were successful until we reached a corner and then we struggled. Enough time had passed after that attempt so I finally decided to go for it in our home—and I’m so glad I did. I chose a bold pattern that felt cheerful and cozy (and a little unexpected for a laundry space).

To make things easier, I used a spray adhesive in addition to the peel-and-stick wallpaper. I WISH we had known about this product when I tried helping my friend! Total game changer. It allowed the paper to stay more movable while applying, so I could reposition it without having to fully peel and restick it.

You’ll also need a wallpaper kit, like this one I used.

Also recommended, a laser level. This helps to keep your design straight as you apply each piece.

The After: A Space That Makes Me Smile

Now, this little laundry room feels like it belongs in our home. It’s functional, organized, and—dare I say—pretty!

What used to be a space I tried to hide is now one I’m proud to show off. Proof that even the smallest, most utilitarian spaces deserve a little love (and sometimes, a bold wallpaper moment).

What I Learned (and Would Totally Do Again):

• Don’t underestimate what a few stock cabinets and some custom touches can do.

• If you’ve never wallpapered before, don’t be scared! Spray adhesive was key with peel and stick wallpaper.

• Letting a space evolve over time can help you land on the right final vision.

• Small spaces deserve design, too!

Before & After Photos

If you’re sitting on a half-finished space and waiting for the “right time” to complete it—consider this your sign. The little details (like wallpaper) might be just what it needs.

Have questions about how we did something? Drop them in the comments—I’m happy to share more!

Little Changes Make a Big Impact

Published on by Amanda LeggetteLeave a comment

This past November my husband and I were asked if we could help with a feature wall in my brother and sister-in-laws home. They are expecting their first baby in April. Being a mom of 3 boys, I was elated when they are shared they are expecting a BOY.  Queue the biased happy tears for the blessing of raising a son.

Back to the opportunity: Would you be able to help add an accent wall to the future nursury?

Yes. 1000 times yes.  I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity and spoiler alert, it turned out SO good. 

A quick look at our calendars and throwing dates around, one thing after another fell into place and we were able to get over there within the week. 

A dear friend who is an amazing designer, Amy Huber, told me about a company that will send you paint samples on sticker sheets that you can move around.  Wait, you mean you don’t have to paint samples on different walls in the room to determine which paint looks best anymore? The company is Samplize. For less than $6/sample, you can select as many paint colors as needed and they ship them to you within 24 hours.  No waiting at the paint store for colors to be mixed and no painting the walls with each and washing paint brushes. You simply stick and move the samples from wall to wall during different times of the day.

My sister-in-law and I were both sold on this. They ordered paint samples and sent me pictures of the walls as they started from all the colors they ordered to a smaller selection which they had narrowed down to as their favorites.

In preparation to go to their home with the tools needed for the wainscoting and framing out the window, we did have them send measurements of the room.  Having the measurements helped us all plan out which wall would likely be best for the accent wall and to plan accordingly for supplies. 

Check out the room before. A perfect canvas to transform with 3 simple updates: Paint, wainscoting, and quick trim for the window.

How precious is my sister-in-law?! Can you tell how much the boys adore her just from that last picture? 

We did take all three of our boys with us for our project day but I was sure to pack plenty of snacks and food to appease their endless appetites. My brother in law, Michael, had set up the sweetest movie viewing pallet for the boys. He inflated a giant air mattress and loaded it with comfy pillows and blankets. 

While the boys watched a movie, we got to work right away.

The men set off for Home Depot for the wood supplies while Rachel and I began painting right away. The men purchased primed boards which helped painting go smooth and required less coats.

We try to use primmed MDF on these types of accent walls as those boards have clean cuts when trimmed. This hardware store location didn’t have the product in stock that we usually buy for these projects so we made an easy swap with an alternative, primed pine, and it turned out perfect.

I had the best time chatting as we painted the entire room. It’s a day I won’t soon forget and can’t wait to share about the project day with baby when he is older. His mama worked so hard to make his room special. 

Adam took lead on measuring and cutting the wood for the accent wall. While it may look simple to plan out the spacing for the boxes, I can assure you the math is a little more challenging. 

*We also purchased a piece of cove molding to add to the existing baseboard. When flipped upside down, you can rest it on the baseboard and it creates for the perfect flat surface for your board and batten pieces to run in flush with no overhang.

It was a long day of painting and had to be cut shorter for me so I could get the kids home and ready for bed. I left Adam to finish off the wall but showed Rachel how to finish caulking all the seams after the final boards were up and the process for filling nail holes. 

We had a couple mishaps with placement of boards in the wrong place, having to remove them, remeasure and nail them back up in the correct spot but Allas, the wall was complete.

The window wasn’t completed until the following weekend. We had run out of time. I went back over the following weekend to finish up the wood working and did the window all by myself. I say this in a way to encourage you to tackle projects that seem daunting and just TRY it. Turns out, it was a simple update that, once complete, looked like it was always meant for the space.

My sister-in-law even said she wanted to add it to all the windows in the home now. It’s an update that can be made room by room and doesn’t have to be rushed.

I have never trimmed out a window before. I’ve watched numberous videos and how-tos but never had the opportunity prior to this project. 

I used this as a guide and customized it to their space.

(Pic of window trim guide)

I have to admit, projects outside of our home are my favorite.  Painting is therapeutic for me. Transforming a space is relatively budget friendly but brings a big impact. Adding texture to the walls in the form of wainscoting adds depth. Framing out the window added character and contributed to the overall aesthetic of the room that complimented the accent wall and helped create a finished look.

I’m excited to watch as they make all of the selections to finish out the room with furniture and decor in the theme they are going with.

Come on baby Chappell. We cannot wait to meet you.

Until then, my other sis-in-law are planning the SWEETEST baby shower which is coming up in February. Queue the happy tears anytime party details arrive in the mail.

This is your reminder to make a project list and TRY something new. Make it yours and create your Haven one room at a time.

Powder Room Refresh

Published on by Amanda LeggetteLeave a comment

What was once an item listed on our project list, the powder room, it quickly became an active project when my husband walked into the garage and returned inside with a hammer and crowbar. He took to a corner in the bathroom and began an attempt at removing 1/4 round and baseboards. All I needed to get going on this particular project was him taking that first step and saying “let’s start checking off these projects.”

DIYs are fun but now with 3 kids, we have to be strategic in planning when we can tackle projects -between his work travel and kid schedules.

Goals for this project:

  1. Try to be budget friendly, afterall, it is just a powder room
  2. Source a local company to fabricate a new granite countertop for the existing vanity. This granite was going to the dump, and we scooped it up!
  3. Find new faucet, lighting and accessories
  4. Add vertical shiplap
  5. Fresh coat of paint

Project Mood Board

You can find links to the lights, hardware, and faucet here, Product Links. The final faucet we went with can be found here. We have been very pleased with it. In fact, I installed it apart from connecting the drain to the p trap. I’m thankful for my dad who came over to connect them and teach me how they work.

First we demoed by taking out all 1/4 round, baseboards, disconnecting the water supply and removing the vanity.

We ended up having to purchase this set to help in removing the 1/4 round and baseboards. Even still, it proved to be challenging because the installers used 3 inch nails which is excessive in my opinion.

As you can see, the before was just “blah” and didn’t fit our style at all. As for the layout of the bathroom, we would have never designed it this way but we had to work with it.

After the space was cleared out, I painted the top 1/4 section of the walls White Dove and the crown molding, and ceiling. Then we added in new baseboards, 1×8 primed pine as the MDF was limited for us.

After baseboards and paint, we added a 1×4 piece of trim that was our finishing cap and would act as the point where we measured for each vertical shiplap board.

At this point in the project, I had also switched out the light fixture but had not yet purchased new light bulbs that were a softer lume.

Once we both cut down our shiplap to size for our first wall, I painted the edges of each piece prior to nailing them to the wall. As I did this, my husband marked the studs on the walls.

As paint was drying on the walls, I decided to update the existing vanity and strip the brown stain. I saw this inspirational photo which solidified my decision. Our granite was very similar in coloring.

I first tried a couple rounds of oven cleaner as stripper but I didn’t love the results. You can see the beginning process in the left photo. Next, I went the route of Citri Strip and it did much better. I also coated the doors with Citri Strip and wrapped them in plastic wrap to let them sit overnight before scraping off the product and stain. The result revealed a beautiful color that was very similar to what I was hoping for.

With a little grit, I cleaned up the corners to get it to match using steel wool and 220 grit sandpaper.

Where this vanity got tricky was the fact that I had to update the side panels. They were not made of real wood but had a veneer finish; therefore, stipping them of stain wasn’t an option. I had to replace the side panels with new 1/2 inch sheets of plywood. We were out of scrap wood that met the size requirements so I purchased 2×4 sheets from Home Depot and cut those down to size. Without using a table saw, I used a guide, clamps and my skill saw to trim it to size. I feel much more comfortable with this tool vs. a table saw.

This also allowed me to try out my new router tool to create a ledge for the cabinet shelf to rest in, just as it did on the original side panels. This was such a fun tool to use. I look forward to future projects when we can try out different bits that it came with.

After the new side panels were cut to size and the ledge routed, I had the task of matching the stain to the stripped down vanity color. I did this with a combination of Special Walnut, watered down white paint as a white wash, and Dark Walnut. I ended up doing 2 more additional coats of dark walnut to darken it up more and found the perfect match.

After stain, the side panel was attached with wood glue and 1 inch brad nails. I then finished it off with 1 coats of clear Matte Polycrylic. This is my favorite poly and is easy to work with. Tip: Between coats, you have to use 220 grit sandpaper to get the smoothest finish.

Check out the progression of adding the vanity back into the space, the counters, doors, faucet and new handle pulls.

Similar Mirror, here.

Adding in the finishing touches was one of my favorite parts. To fill the dead corner space, I found this giant snake plant at Home Depot for $22! The plant stand was an awesome find at Marshalls.

My favorite piece is the room is this watercolor lily. It was a gift to my grandparents by one of their church members. They had is framed by a local business who made a special pocket on the backside to hold the card that was handwritten and included with the art. The special note is a reminder of the impact they had on so many lives and that motivates me to live life to the fullest.

Before we look at the completed space in its entirety, let’s remember where we started again:

Before + After – @4havenssake

LINKS:

Handle Pulls

Turkish Hand Towels

Faucet

Towel Ring and Toilet Paper Holder

Vanity Light

Cutest Safety Glasses

What do you think about the Powder Room transformation? Would you believe it was completed for less than $600? Most of that cost went to lumbar because we went with primed pine vs primed MDF.

I hope this inspires you to make the most of your space and transform it with a little paint and a little elbow grease. The before and after can be exactly like your mood board.