A Sporty and Neutral Shared Boys Bedroom

From sounds of stifled giggles way past their bedtime, silly or surprisingly deep conversations, to catching the older brother reading to the younger, there's something pretty special that happens when kids share a room. Don't get me wrong, there's still more fights than I'd like and at times there's not enough space for the both of them, but I'm relishing this time and one day they'll look back and remember these times fondly–at least that's what I keep telling them.

When we moved in, there were enough rooms so the boys didn't have to share, but we wanted them to continue to bunk together. For one, Luke could keep an eye on his younger more mischievous brother and we could also use the extra room as a guest/office. While we still wanted it to be a room for boys, we were leaning towards a more sophisticated and neutral design this time around. In our last home, the boys' room had lots going on–gray and white striped walls, a DIY platform bed, a chalkboard wall–nearly every trend you could imagine. For this space (and the entire home), I wanted rooms to be much more simple and serene. It probably has something to do with all the chaos that two wild boys and busy schedules bring.

We painted over the blue walls with Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter and painted the dark blue ceiling, closet doors and trim in Benjamin Moore Simply White, a creamy, warm white. The neutral greige walls and white ceiling make the room feel clean, bright and quite a bit larger.

We built the beds using plans from Jennifer Largesse at Build - Basic and utilized a few things we had around the house like the metal shelving unit and dresser from Ikea. Then we threw in some cork boards so the kids could display their artwork and a couple bug pillows for good measure. We also replaced the dated ceiling fan with an updated model from Hunter.

Source List: Walls (Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172); Trim, Closet & Ceiling (Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117); Beds (DIY | Home Depot | Build - Basic); Bedding (Ikea | Bjornloka Duvet Cover); Dresser (Ikea | Hemnes 3 Drawer Chest); Rug (West Elm); Drapes (Pottery Barn Teen | Suite Ribbon Blackout Drapes); Kids Table and Chairs (Ikea | Sundvik Table & Chairs); Cork Boards (Ikea | Vaggis Noticeboard); Ceiling Light (Home Depot | Hunter Conroy 42" Ceiling Light Fan)

This simple paint color update we've made, from the all blue room above to the more modern, neutral and versatile room, will grow with the boys and allows us to make changes to the room later on down the road without a bunch of work.

Beautiful DIY Ceilings // Armstrong Residential Ceilings Review

For most people, ceilings aren't the first things that come to mind when they're considering their home renovation. A basic drywall ceiling is the standard, but when there are so many gorgeous options out there for every style of home basic just seems, well, basic.

Armstrong Residential Ceilings has an amazing resource called Ceilings 101 for DIY ceiling repair and updates. There you can learn about the selection, purchasing, and installation process for your ceiling project.  Whether you're interested in installing basement ceilings or just want to refresh what you already have - it covers it all.  For those that require a little more assistance, helpful online video tutorials are available.

Photography Tips // How To Edit Portraits Like A Pro (Photoshop)

Something about kids makes me want to snap a million pics and share them with the world. Maybe its how fast they grow up or how freaking adorable they are. Either way, I can't put the camera down. And lots of camera time usually means lots of time behind the computer editing the images. So, I thought I'd share a few of my post-editing tips with you that help make the process quick and painless.

If you're lucky you'll have the perfect lighting conditions matched with the perfect settings on your camera to produce a professional-quality image where no editing is needed.  Other times a little post processing can help a not-so-great photo look a whole lot better.  I use Photoshop and by no means am I even close to being an expert but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve to make my photos look their best better (I'm still learning.)

Not too keen on forking over the big bucks for post-editing software?  Try these free photo editing programs.

Baby & Toddler // Kids' Shared Room Reveal

Luke and Callaghan's room is well on its way to being a finished space.  The painted striped walls and painted chalkboard wall are still hanging tough but we made a few changes to make it more suitable for two kids.  The addition of the DIY loft bed allowed us to open up some flooring space.  If you remember from our children's shared bedroom inspiration post, we initially wanted to place the crib underneath but we just weren't comfortable with how tall the loft bed would have had to be.  So we scrapped that idea and decided a play & work area underneath would be better all around.

Kids' Shared Room // DIY Loft Bed

Things have been going pretty great since we brought home our newest little boy (knock on wood).  Big brother has taken to sharing his Mama & Daddy pretty dang well but sharing parents isn't the only thing Luke has had to get used to. Being tight on space, a shared kids' room was a given.  So Luke's toddler bed got the boot and was replaced by a new DIY loft bed and the crib.

We used plans from Ana-White.com and adjusted them slightly to better fit our room.  Rather than an angled set of stairs leading to the platform, we replaced it with a short vertical ladder.  We also increased the height of the bed to allow for another bunk in the lower section for when Callaghan outgrows his crib.  Plus, we added handles to the bed which made it easier for Luke to get up and down.

Nesting // Big Brother Bag

Baby #2 has arrived - October 25th to be exact!  And big brother Luke is so excited about his baby brother, Callaghan.  To make the transition from a family of three to a family of four easier on our 3 year old son we did what any amazing parents would do....bribed him with gifts.  I created a Big Brother Bag for Luke from his baby brother using the good ol' wear, read, want, need method.

1 // Tote Bag - This DIY monogrammed tote bag is the perfect size for Luke to take to school and he was pretty stoked that it was personalized with HIS letter "L."

2 // T-Shirt - There's something about these "Big/Little Brother" t shirts that make me all warm and fuzzy.

Nesting // DIY Maternity Photo Shoot + Tips

Well, ladies and gents...I'm officially full-term - 37 weeks and 3 days to be exact.  That means any day now we could become a family of four.  Yikes!  I know everything will be fine and we'll adjust, but the thought of it sends me straight into a Nick Miller freakout.  Before we're swimming in a sea of diapers and sleep is just a sweet, sweet memory, I wanted to capture this exciting and slightly scary moment in time.

I'm all for professional family photos but it's just not in the budget, so I broke out the camera and set up my own little photo shoot to capture my last (mark my words!) pregnancy.  I don't have any fancy photography equipment - just a regular ol' point and shoot camera, a small tripod and some good ol' natural light.
Our bedroom is one of the best places to catch some good filtered light which is what you want rather than direct light which casts unsightly shadows.  I started out the photo shoot in front of one of the windows which is draped in sheer, white curtains from Ikea and is the perfect backdrop to get that gorgeous soft backlit effect.  I also placed a small bench in front of the window so I would be elevated and would have a comfortable place to sit for these first few poses.

Weekend Warrior: June 1 // Recap

Well, we didn't get as much done as we were hoping but we sure were busting our butts all weekend long (or Josh was, in any case.)  There's quite a few things that are half done and a couple that we just didn't get around to.

• Electrify the shed - 50% completed! The outlet and lighting boxes are mounted, we just need to dig the trench and run the wiring.
• Finish electrical in mudroom/nook - 100% Completed!  Our microwave is finally hooked up - No more 40 minute burritos!
• Finish installing the bathroom wall treatment - 80% Completed! Mostly done, just a small portion of the trim to finish up.
• Caulk and paint the bathroom wall treatment - 10% Completed - I started on the caulk but ran out so I'm hoping to finish tonight.
• Find/create lighting for mudroom/nook - 20% Completed - We have the two pendants, we just need to track down the glass shades and a track lighting option. 
• Build bench and bookcase in the nook - 0% Completed - Not even close...this shouldn't have even made last weekend's list.
• More yard work - Done although this is a job that never ends. - We picked up a new Ryobi trimmer/edger from Home Depot and Josh cleaned up the yard.
• Build raised garden bed - 0% Completed - Our poor veggies really need a home.

So, we didn't quite reach our full beast-mode expectations, but we did get quite a bit done.  We're hoping to get finish up everything else on the list early this week so we can schedule our electrical inspection on Thursday and move on to the fun stuff - installing drywall!

Weekend Warrior: The To-Do List // June 1

With only four weeks until Josh leaves for Alaska, we're channeling our inner beast modes by kicking some ass and taking names. We're hoping to knock out our ridiculously long to-do list well before he leaves so we can spend some good ol' fashioned quality time together.  That means the next few weekends are going to be jam packed.

Here's what's in store for us this weekend:

• Electrify the shed
• Finish electrical in mudroom/nook
• Finish installing the bathroom wall treatment
• Caulk and paint the bathroom wall treatment
• Find/create lighting for mudroom/nook
• Build bench and bookcase in the nook
• More yard work
• Build raised garden bed

I wish we could get more done inside, but we're waiting to wrap up a few items with the electrical before we can get it inspected.  After all that, the finish line will be in sight...Wish us luck!

Houzz: Get Grout Magically Clean

Do you have dirty, grimy grout that you just can't seem to get clean?  Well, have I got the solution for you!  (Sounds like an infomercial, right?)

Seriously, though.  Tile — whether it's used as flooring, in the kitchen as a backsplash or for counters, or in the bathroom — has one great downfall: grout. Since grout is porous in nature, unsealed grout absorbs all kinds of stains, from mildew to coffee and everything in between. To say it's a headache to keep grout clean is an understatement.

We inherited marble tile counters when we purchased our home. It's pretty clear that the grout was never properly sealed, so it soaks up stains like crazy. It makes our kitchen feel gross and grimy, even if it was just cleaned. While I'd love to replace the counters with a solid surface like quartz, it's just not in our budget — plus, we just can't justify getting rid of something that's perfectly fine otherwise.  So instead, I've come up with a fool-proof method to get grout sparkling clean and all it takes is a few items and a lot of elbow grease.

Check out the full post over at Houzz to learn the easy method for yourself and be on your way to clean grout....finally!

Get Grout Magically Clean — Stains and All

So what about you guys?  Have any easy methods to get those tough to clean areas sparkling?  I'd love to hear about them in the comments section!

Disclaimer:  As a Contributor for Houzz, I have been compensated for any Ideabooks featured on Houzz, although I am not compensated for sharing Houzz Ideabooks on Revamp Homegoods.  All opinions expressed here are that of the writer and are in no way influenced by Houzz.

DIY // Van Gogh's The Starry Night Mosaic Art

This is a piece that I created a few years back.  Back before the creation of Revamp Homegoods, even before the creation of blogging.

Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night has had me mesmerized for as long as I can remember.  The deep colors and the night's energy are awe-inspiring.  Did you know that this was his view from his room in the sanatorium in Saint Remy and was painted just 13 months before his death.  He would stare at the view at night and then paint from memory in the morning.  I, too, could stare at it for hours. (Que sappy music.)

"The Starry Night" Vincent Van Gogh 1889

An extremely long time later...

Being one of the most replicated paintings of all time, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and create "The Starry Night" in glass mosaic form.  I made a trip out to Bullseye Glass, in Portland, Oregon, to pick up the supplies, which were:

• Glass cutter
• Sheets of colored glass