Suzannah Hamlin Stanley's Blog, page 58

Hang removable wallpaper horizontally! Walls Need Love geometric print laundry room update

Our laundry room was one of the last rooms to get paint and flooring... and it felt so good when it did. We also installed white shaker cabinets above the machines for storage, in place of the cheap-o shelf that was there. (Here's the post.) It was MUCH better but still so plain! And nowhere to hang art, really.

So, removable wallpaper to the rescue again. (See how we used it in the powder room above a chair rail.) I found the perfect geometric print to accent, but not overpower, our tiny...

The end of the #Stanley90sreno

Well, I have another announcement. Last week I shared our baby news and earlier this week I shared the video "after" tour of our 90's fixer upper! But I have some more big news for you today.

We're selling the Stanley 90's Reno. This was not our original intent. We did NOT mean to renovate and then flip this house when we bought it a year ago. We figured it'd be a 5-year house, maybe more, just needed to see what happens with Jason's career and our family.
Listing...

The video "after" tour of our 90's fixer upper is here!

One year ago Sunday....... we got the keys to our mess of a house and got to work. But first, we recorded this "before" video tour. Well, this past Saturday, our house was looking its best and is DONE, so we recorded the AFTER!!


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The Big Announcement

I have butterflies as I write this! I've been looking forward to writing this post for years now and here I am, nervous! So many emotions.

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Laminate stair flooring--finally done!

Possibly the biggest embarrassment of the Stanley 90's reno... we installed 1,574 SF of laminate flooring ourselves in a matter of weekends, but it took us almost a year of living here to finish the stair flooring!!


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Combining the beautiful and the practical

 A recent piece of home advice I heard was, if you only have a small budget for decor items, choose elegant versions of practical items you need to buy anyway. Bathroom trash cans, broom/dustpan sets, butter dishes... it might cost slightly more to buy a nicer-looking version, but then you have something that adds rather than detracts from the decor if/when it shows, and you feel good about it when you use it.

As a sort-of minimalist who constantly aims for efficiency (of money, space, and men...

New home decor + improvement inspiration -- three PODCASTS!

There's Pinterest, blogs, Instagram, books... lots of visual media for getting new ideas for home projects and decorating. But I'm a fan of listening to podcasts on my drives and while doing chores, and it turns out there are audio resources for tips, hacks, trend updates, and even design ideas, too! For the past year or so I've been enjoying these and I realized it's high time I shared them with you!

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Useful or beautiful: what to put in our basically-finished fixer upper home

Now that the Stanley 90's reno is mostly "finished," I've been focusing on feeling happy, settled, and calm here. We've had a few free weekends now that summer is winding down and I've had time to sort and get rid of some things like old fabric and sewing supplies, do some yard work, and cook for fun!

It is a weird and new feeling to live in a home that's almost done--yes, we did that in our townhouse... but we are still recovering emotionally from the 10 months o...

Styling a backyard tropical party & outdoor entertaining tips with Pier 1

Last month I was invited to be the expert stylist for a backyard party hosted by Pier 1! They held a contest where three winners across the country won complete furniture and decor for a backyard "block party" and three bloggers got to come style the events! I was SO flattered, especially considering the state of my backyard currently, and had a blast working with the tropical-themed Pier 1 goodies! And, I do have quite a lot of experience with outdoor entertaining and enjoyed shari...

Dream bathroom reno: big grey hex tile, modern fixtures, and tile--two budgets!

Making over our entire house in 11 months has taught us a lot. One thing I've learned is how to put together a room, with visioning and budgeting, to get the look I'm after! It can take HOURS and hours (like going over our master bathroom choices did), but it can be really fun, too. And it's a skill I am happy to share with others and friends as they do house projects, too!

One of my friends found a bathroom on Instagram that she LOVED for her c. 1960 ranch with its current pink si...