How Cute is this House in Houston?

It isn't very often that I see a house for sale that I can actually look at and not immediately want to change 30 things about it. This two-story home on the Houston MLS is the complete opposite. I lay in bed at night and wish my house looked just like this. This home and another really great Houston find, (I like this one best), were spotted by the famous Houston blogger http://www.cotedetexas.blogspot.com/.


Great Curb Appeal


Love the slipcovers and serene colors.



The kitchen is a little bland, but I LOVE the lucite chairs.
I bet they are even better in person.



I want those exact botanical prints for my dining room.



Awesome reading room....family room? Not sure, but I love the built-ins, and great blinds.


Just a hint of animal print.


Seriously Cozy.


I know my husband wouldn't believe me, but I would honestly never ask to go on vacation again if I had this backyard.


Pool-house in the distance. Are you freakin' kidding me? A pool-house?
Some people's lives......

Here's hopin you find a house that looks just like this with your own pool-house sometime in the near future.

xoxo,
Stine

Bill's House

Before the paint on my own "Mega-Remodel" had even begun to dry, a design surprise popped up. The neighbor across the street died suddenly (well as suddenly as a 94-year-old man can), leaving an empty and available home. Or as I like to think of it, a design gold-mine. While his distant relatives cleaned out the home, preparing it for sale, I heard my dad uttering the same thoughts I had been quietly thinking. "It's too bad your house isn't done yet, because that would be a really fun project." I couldn't have agreed more. A quiet street, a neighborhood we already loved, the original 1960's decor, and literally across the street! The whisperings in the back of our minds eventually become too loud to ignore, and we decided to make an offer. That's where my super-salesy husband Bryan came into action. He negotiated a really sweet deal, and within a few short weeks the progress on my own house had all but dried up. We started all over again on Bill's 1960's museum.


Just like on our own house we relied on a tag team effort:

Todd (my amazingly talented artist/contractor brother)

Duane (my dad/dentist/craftsman/father)

Bryan (my honey/handi-man/resident nay-sayer)

me (design freak and strong-arm)

I always tell Todd and Duane that they will eventually bend to my design will, and sometimes that is true, but they actually both share really good taste and an eye for detail. We almost always share the same vision.

The construction is nearly complete, and the super fun design and staging details are about to commence. Here is a sneak peek of what has taken place. Look for more details in the coming weeks.

bathroom before

bathroom during

bathrooms nearly complete

kitchen before






kitchen during







kitchen nearly complete



Some of the details.....


























P.S. I have absolutely no idea why some of the pictures are so tiny. I will have to look into that.

xoxo,
Stine

Backsplash Tile

Image Yellow Dog Design

This is a picture of the first backsplash I ever installed. It was done just as we were being transferred to Denver, and had to sell our house quickly. I didn't have the time or money to update the cabinets, so I added the backsplash, new hardware, and eventually countertops. Even though it has been a few years, I still think the kitchen looks cute. And maybe because it was like my first born, I really loved that backsplash.

This past few weeks my friend Heather and I have been on another backsplash mission. We have been to the tile store five times, burned through at least two tanks of gas, and eaten several yummy lunches along the way. The problem, is that tile is a little bit like ice cream....there are just so many flavors, it is really difficult to narrow your choice down to just one. It is also incredibly hard not to second guess yourself once you have made your choice. But finally, after much deliberation, we both came to a decision on our backsplashes.

Heather: Heather has an incredible knack for design, and a really beautiful, classic two-story home she built with her husband about five years ago. Although her house could not be more beautiful, she has found herself a little tired of looking at the same four walls she has looked at for the past five years (sounds familiar right)? Anyway, she is making a few small changes to make her home feel fresh. Heather's kitchen has beautiful knotty cabinets, a black painted island (which will be getting a lighter coat of paint in the next few weeks), stainless appliances, and new gold granite counters. Her backsplash choices came down to three finalists. 1. A 3 x 6 pale gold crackle subway tile (the most affordable). 2. A beautiful hand-poured pale yellow subway tile 3. A golden 2 x 4 glass subway tile (the most expensive). Which one did she choose??? The gold 2 x 4 glass tile (of course)! The photo below is the tile Heather picked, just in a different color. We ordered it today, and it should be in within the week. I will post a "how-to" with lots of pictures of Heather's great kitchen after we install it next week.

Image American Olean Legacy Glass

Me: I was really only wavering between two choices. 1. classic white hand-poured subway tile. 2. Walker Zanger beveled harlequin patterned tile. (Similar to the one designer Brooke Giannetti used in a Los Angeles kitchen remodel. To see more of Brooke's amazing design, click here.)

Image Brooke Giannetti (Velvet and Linen)


In the end, the classic white subway tile won out. For me, it really came down to price. I loved both tile choices equally, but the harlequins were twice the price. I still have SOOOOOO many house projects I need to do, that it was really just about priorities. A few hundred dollars is a cool shaggy rug, some roman shades, or a really neat drum pendant for my entry. And just for the sake of keepin it real............I really love white subway tile.

Image Elle Decor

Image Unknown