Celebrating 15 Years of Running a blog With My Favourite DIYs! | Thrifty Decor Chick
Celebrating 15 years of running a blog with my DIY and decor favorites!
I can hardly consider it, however final week marked 15 years of running a blog at Thrifty Decor Chick!! I began this web site in Might of 2008 and would have by no means fathomed in one million years that it might turn out to be what it has.
I’m past grateful!
I began this weblog when our son was only a yr and a half — I had stop my full time public relations profession to remain at house half time. I labored half time as an inside decorator after I began writing about DIY and decor, and fewer than a yr into running a blog I stop my adorning job to work from home.
Running a blog is the proper mixture of my two loves — writing and DIY/adorning.
Writing TDC has created so many wonderful alternatives, from being revealed in print, TV and on-line to being featured on the Nate Berkus present.
I used to be supposed to look stay on his present so many instances, however the scheduling at all times received tousled. I am keen on Nate and am so grateful for his group’s help!
Years later, a bunch of my weblog pals and I created the Haven running a blog convention for DIY and decor bloggers. It turned an unbelievable success and I am SO happy with that occasion. It’s now underneath new possession, however these had been among the greatest (and tiring!) weeks of my life.
Running a blog continues to take me out of my consolation zone, and I am actually, actually happy with what I’ve created!
OK sufficient about that stuff, let’s take a look at some initiatives we could? I gathered what I take into account to be the highest 15 initiatives I’ve accomplished up to now 15 years. I am positive I’ve left one thing out from all these years in our two homes, however I really feel like this can be a fairly good checklist!
1. Eating room turned library constructed ins
Our eating room at our final home was an ideal, open house that was hardly used.
My Dad got here up with the sensible concept to make use of UPPER wall cupboards because the bases to those constructed ins. This protects SO a lot effort and time:
Here is a have a look at that eating room house earlier than the makeover:
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This was my crimson and gold section. 🙂
Utilizing the wall cupboards makes the bookcases a normal 12 inches as an alternative of the 24 inch depth of base cupboards. Base cupboards even have drawers that look extra like a kitchen or toilet arrange.
2. First household room
This room noticed SO many modifications over time!
Earlier than the largest transformation, we had a clumsy structure with a nook fire. There was nowhere to comfortably place a TV and nonetheless have house within the room.
That is the nook fire structure we began with:
3. Closet turned e-book nook
This little closet redo is considered one of my all time favourite makeovers!
It was a easy linen closet earlier than, however we had loads of room for this stuff elsewhere:
This can be a actually cheap undertaking (particularly once you use scrap wooden like me). In case you have sufficient storage and do not want the closet house, a e-book nook is such an ideal addition.
It was one factor everybody commented on once they visited our house. The nook was such a candy house for our son when he was youthful. 💙
4. Mud/laundry room combo
I nonetheless ADORE this house! I used to be hesitant to do a laundry and dirt room mixture as a result of that room at our first home was at all times a catastrophe (keep tuned for that!).
However as quickly as we realized how massive this room was, I used to be all in! Now we LOVE having all of this performance in a single spot:
This room began with nice bones:
5. Laundry room turned mudroom
This was a HUGE transformation and by far among the best we made in our first home!
Particularly contemplating what it used to appear like! Yikes!:
This photograph was not an exaggeration — it was at all times a catastrophe.
6. DIY TV leisure heart constructed ins
It packs tons of operate — with storage all alongside the underside, the bench we use as further seating and the added lighting above. And naturally, the cabinets are an ideal spot to show some fairly gadgets:
We began with a clean wall 19 toes lengthy! I knew from the second we moved in that I might construct one thing to fill this house:
Our basement has seen many DIY initiatives since then, together with tons of image body molding and our darkish inexperienced DIY fire as nicely:
7. Our first kitchen
After I took on this kitchen renovation at our first home, it was by far my greatest transformation but!
Check out how this kitchen began out!:
Taking down the wall in our household room allowed us to shift every part and opened up the areas tremendously! I used to be so happy with how this kitchen turned out.
8. From carpet to wooden stairs
After the carpet was gone, I eliminated all of the tack strips and staples, then after a superb sanding, I stained the treads and painted the risers white:
This was a labor intensive job however I am so glad I did it! It was SO value all of the work.
Here is the one photograph I’ve of the carpeted steps earlier than the redo:
We liked the wooden steps a lot, we had the steps stained in our present house as nicely. (Fortunately I did not need to do the work this time!)
By the way in which, I get requested on a regular basis if wooden steps are slippery.
I nonetheless say that wooden stairs are approach much less slippery than carpeted stairs. I can not let you know what number of instances I slipped down ours earlier than I took the carpet off.
9. Two room toilet opened up
This was one other one I am tremendous happy with. And in addition one other instance of creating your areas be just right for you and the way your loved ones makes use of them!
Just about instantly after we moved into that home, I regretted going with the 2 room toilet structure. You already know…those with the self-importance within the first half and the bathroom and bathe within the second room:
It at all times felt so darkish and cramped. My dream for years was to take that wall down, and someday I did simply that! It was AWESOME. 😂
10. Moody workplace constructed ins
The construct went approach faster this time, and now I’ve my course of down pat:
My moody bookcases (Classic Vogue by Benjamin Moore) add a lot character to my workplace! And naturally the added storage is particularly necessary in a piece house.
My workplace is spacious and filled with pure gentle, nevertheless it wanted some colour and heat after we moved in:
Try how I constructed a big upholstered bulletin board on the opposite facet of the room as nicely. 🙂
11. My closet transformation
In our final home my husband and I shared a closet, so I used to be fairly excited to get my very own house once we moved in right here. It had loads of room, however I knew instantly that I would need to make some modifications finally.
The wire cabinets lined many of the partitions, however they weren’t very practical for folded garments. This was the norm (regardless of how I attempted to maintain issues organized):
This closet undertaking in all probability made an even bigger influence than any others I’ve tackled over time. I felt pressured and disorganized each morning after I walked into the outdated room.
The brand new closet has a spot for every part, and the group calms my soul! 🙂 I completely find it irresistible!
12. Fairly powder room
Oh how I am keen on this little house!
I LOVE including extra daring touches in smaller areas like hallways, bogs and laundry rooms. Why not have some enjoyable?
Once we moved on this room was easy and plain:
13. Patio with spherical fireplace pit
Now…I did not do the largest a part of this addition myself (I might have if I knew how you can pour cement! 😁), however I’ve executed many of the modifications since!
Opening up our house to household and pals fills my soul, so this house has been such a blessing. It is our little oasis and we’re so grateful for it!
The perfect half is the spherical fireplace pit space:
That is how the patio appeared proper after we had it poured:
Since then I’ve added tons of vegetation (I am doing a backyard tour quickly!), constructed that fireside pit and added the string lights throughout the patio (undoubtedly examine this tutorial out if you do not have bushes in your lights!) as nicely.
We find it irresistible!!
14. Model new basement kitchenette
We’re completely spoiled with it now and use it on a regular basis:
The earlier than is fairly underwhelming, nevertheless it does present how far this house has come:
15. Profiting from our pantry
The earlier than was nice, however I knew it may operate so significantly better!
I at all times imagined extra of a “butler’s pantry” the place we may hold home equipment and prep meals. The melamine cabinets we had earlier than saved so much, however something beneath waist stage at all times ended up piled excessive and unorganized:
Whew!!! It was laborious to give you solely 15 initiatives, however I really feel like these are undoubtedly on the high for me. Did I overlook any you possibly can consider? Please let me know in case you have any questions.
All of this could not be attainable with out you all — I am so extremely grateful to you for following together with my DIY escapades over time! Running a blog is a dream come true for me, I couldn’t ask for extra.
Thanks for a enjoyable 15 years and here is to a different 15 extra! 😍
