How to Make a Vintage Rustic Sleigh Ride Sign | Pretty Handy Girl How cool! You can use this technique to make or transfer any sign graphic.

Holiday Home Tour 2016 | Pretty Handy Girl

I’m so happy to see you again this year! This is my annual holiday home tour and each year I can’t wait to invite you in to see the decorations. (These are my home tours from 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015.) This year I tried to keep it simple, but I did take two days to make a really fun vintage sign. I hope you’ll come on in and see it (and the rest of my holiday decorating efforts.)

Before I start decorating, I like to choose a theme. This year I wanted to create a nature or woodland inspired theme. I pulled the storage bins out of the attic and assessed what I had to work with. Then, I made a list of some items I could use to fill out the room. Next stop was my local At Home store. This home tour has been sponsored by At Home. This year I’ve been thrilled to be an At Home brand ambassador. (You can see a photo tour of the At Home store in this post.

At Home Store Tour | Pretty Handy Girl

Or come take a tour of my patio decorated for a garden party using several At Home finds (feel free to stay a while if you need to shake off that winter chill by looking at summer photos.)

Outdoor Garden Patio Party Decorating Ideas | Pretty Handy Girl

Finally, you won’t want to miss this drab to fab screen porch makeover that I accomplished with help from At Home.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Have you warmed up yet? Well come on inside and get cozy. I made you some hot chocolate and salted caramel chocolate chip cookies for the tour.

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Did you notice the little silver twig tree? That was an At Home find, I couldn’t resist it. The little white lights make the tree glow at night. I also picked up some faux poinsettias from At Home and popped them in my 3 Step Little Red Wagon Planter.

Holiday Home Tour 2016 | Pretty Handy Girl

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May I take your jacket? You can kick off your shoes if you want to get more comfortable. The shoe storage bench and coat rack were early DIY projects. This mudroom spot is my sanity saver because it holds our daily assortment of coats, backpacks, shoes and socks!

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These topiaries from At Home have seen a lot of use. I bought the unlit versions to save money and added my own lights for the holidays. But, honestly the lit versions are only $10 more, so splurge if you buy some for your home.

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I decorated the shelf with some reindeer and two DIY cone trees (hot glue and moss or leaves). I also used some wall decal stars from my friend Leen the Graphics Queen (affiliate link.)

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The “Post” box keeps all our epi-pens close at hand but not in sight. Anyone else have a collection of epi-pens? 😉

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Come on in the living room and sit down. I just finished decorating the tree.

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I brightened the tree with lots of feather boas and red ornaments. Plus, I added several of the kids’ ornaments they made in preschool. Those ornaments may not be pretty, but they are precious to us.

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Want to make your own decorative bird house topper? It’s a fun little project that will satisfy your doodling desires.

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I have to share with you these beautiful pillows I bought at At Home!

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They look a lot like some higher end store pillows, but for much less. I especially like the faux fur pillows. They might stay on the couch year round.

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Speaking of pillows, I had to buy Bandit a cozy bed from At Home. They have the best prices and selection I’ve ever seen for dog bedding. Good dog, Bandit. It’s about time you fell asleep. This dog is non-stop energy most of the time.

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The other find I couldn’t resist at At Home was this pretty shell tray. They have an amazing assortment of trays in all colors, shapes and sizes.

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I love using this easy to make shutter screen to display our Christmas cards each year.

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This year I added a strand of lights and the vintage sled.

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Did you spot my new vintage inspired sign?

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I made it this week using all scraps from my workshop. Here’s the tutorial to make your own Vintage Rustic Sleigh Ride Sign!

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I know I’ve probably overstated this, but At Home has everything for your home decorating! For instance, birch logs can be purchased in the wedding section of At Home. (I’m not sure why they are in that section, but they are.) They were 6 feet tall, but I cut each log into three for display by the fireplace.

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I bought the white lantern from At Home to round out my collection. You may not realize it, but that little black lantern was actually transformed from a $5 dated light fixture.

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A note about that metallic dot pillow—yup, you guessed it—another At Home favorite find!

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Let’s head into the kitchen.

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Every year, I like to make a little something I think the kids will enjoy. This year, I created a little snow scene in a cloche.

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The cloche is actually the globe from a hanging light. I ditched the light and used the globe to make a fun little snow globe scene.

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I used more wall decal stars from my friend Leen the Graphics Queen (affiliate link) to decorate the windows. These little stars add a festive feel in minutes.

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On the other side of the kitchen is a desk aka our family command center. The raised desk was a DIY project I built using more ReStore cast offs. And the hutch was built using an old table top. . . seriously!

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The little galvanized village scene was created using a variety of At Home accessories. The lighted pine cones came in a set of three and have a timer switch so they’ll shut off at night. That’s one less thing I have to turn off before bed.

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I usually let my boys decorate a small tree. This year they added blue lights to this little faux ivy tree. I actually like the soft blue glow at night. My boys. . . they love to go against the grain. 😉

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Thank you so much for coming over. I enjoyed your company.

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Stop by sometime next week. I’ll be sharing my frugal holiday tablescape with you.

PHGFancySign

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for At Home. I was compensated for my time writing this post. At Home also provided me with a gift card to purchase items to use in this post. All ideas and words are my own. I was not told what to write.

 

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Check out Pretty Handy Girl's Holiday Home Tour for holiday home decor ideas and inspiration! | Holiday decor for the home #prettyhandygirl #holidayhome #holidaydecor

My Home Paint Colors | Pretty Handy Girl

Paint Colors in My Home

I owe you an apology. This post has been on my “to do” list for at least two years. But like many of my “to do” list items, it got pushed back many times.

I get many questions about the paint colors I use in my home. Each color has been chosen to evoke an emotion in the specific room. At this point, I’m very happy with all the colors with one exception. I’ll explain later.

Without any more delay — you’ve waited long enough — here are the paint colors in my home!

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Paint Colors in My Home

Mudroom: Benjamin Moore Majestic Mauve

This is actually a color match. I liked the color I used in our old home’s hallways so much, that I used the leftover paint in our new home’s mudroom. Unfortunately, I used up the can and forgot to write down the color. It’s the perfect neutral lavender color. The color picks up some of the purple tones in our faux slate floor.

Laundry Room - Glidden Tropical Surf | Pretty Handy Girl

Laundry room: Glidden Tropical Surf.

 I tried using Glidden paint for a sponsored post years ago. I absolutely love the color, but the paint — not so much. It just doesn’t have the coverage that Benjamin Moore Aura paints have and therefore I had to paint three coats to get good coverage and scrubability without taking off the paint. Many people ask what the valance fabric is. It’s Waverly Pom Pom Play Spa (affiliate link). And the Flow Wall organization (affiliate link) has really held up and gets my stamp of approval!

Kitchen - Cabinets: Sherwin Williams Copen Blue and Benjamin Moore Oxford White - Walls: Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White | Pretty Handy Girl

Kitchen: Sherwin Williams Copen Blue, Aesthetic White and Benjamin Moore Oxford White.

Adjacent to the mudroom is our kitchen. The colors were carefully chosen to be soothing and cheerful. The white color was pulled from the Kith Cabinets as the closest match to the white cabinets and used on all the trim and planks.

You may remember the year long saga of our kitchen. We had a leak and I built it back by myself from the subfloor on up. It was definitely a defining year in my life which has lead to some amazing goals I’ve set for myself.

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Living Room: Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.

The living room was the most recent room I painted and this is a color I’ve admired in many bloggers’ homes. The blue/green/gray color blends in perfectly with the kitchen since they share an open doorway. I get many compliments on the color and like how it changes into many hues depending on the weather and time of day.

Powder Room: Sherwin Williams Quietude | Pretty Handy Girl

Powder Room: Sherwin Williams Quietude.

 This is another color match. Oftentimes I’ll mix several leftover paints until I get the desired color. Quietude is a close match and I’ve since seen the same color in a friend’s home and it is almost an exact match.

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Dining Room: Benjamin Moore Elmira White. 

This is the first room I painted a light off-white. Previously I thought to have a colorful home you had to have colorful walls. Over time I learned that I had more “color freedom” if the walls were a neutral color and I could change the look of a room by swapping out rugs and fabrics.

Interior Doors - Benjamin Moore Yellow Hilighter | Pretty Handy Girl

Foyer: Benjamin Moore Hilighter and Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White. 

After painting our kitchen walls Aesthetic White I knew I wanted to extend it into the adjacent foyer. This color is the perfect off white but not too fleshy colored. It continues up the stairs and will eventually be painted in our upstairs hallway (another lingering “to do” list item.) The yellow doors was a last minute decision when I was struggling to paint the exterior doors. I ran into an issue with the exterior paint and had to spend 5 days stripping them. I needed some sense of accomplishment so I painted the insides before continuing on the outside. This is the color that greets me every morning and I love it’s sunny disposition.

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Exterior: Benjamin Moore Perennial and Sherwin Williams Anonymous.

This is the outside view of those same doors. The color was one I experimented with and had to change twice. Now it’s such a bright and welcoming color that stands out from the traditional black and red doors in the neighborhood. One of the most asked questions I get is “What is your house color?” Sadly I don’t know, but recently matched it with Sherwin Williams Anonymous. The color is a deep warm gray and it doesn’t show dirt or the mildew that plagues our southern local.

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Master Bedroom: Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal and Revere Pewter. Dresser: Benjamin Moore Deep Ocean. 

When I set out to paint our master bedroom I had fallen in love with the dramatic look of white furniture against dark gray walls. But, I couldn’t bring myself to darken an entire room with the charcoal color. My compromise was to paint the headboard wall dark, but create an ombre effect leading into a lighter greige. When we are headed to bed, we climb into bed looking at the dark charcoal. But, when we sit up in the morning it is facing the lighter walls. It’s a nice way to set the mood.

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Boy’s Bedroom: Benjamin Moore custom color.

Remember how I like to mix paint colors? That’s exactly what I did to get this color. I knew what color I wanted in my mind’s eye. But, I none of the color swatches I brought home were working for me. This gray has a bluish cast, but it’s not harsh or cold. The color works perfectly with the red/white and blue theme in the bedroom.

Bathroom - Benjamin Moore Slate Blue | Pretty Handy Girl

Boys’ Bathroom: Benjamin Moore Slate Blue. 

I painted this room many moons ago and a color was chosen that would transition from childhood to adulthood and never need to be painted again. So far, this paint color has lived up to that goal and acts as a perfect backdrop to the gray and aqua accents in the room. Many ask and sadly I can’t remember where the shower curtain is from. It was either Ross, Marshalls or HomeGoods several years ago. The vanity received a makeover and was painted Valspar Beige Shadow (a good match to Annie Sloan French Linen.) I have a funny story about that branch towel bar. When Better Homes and Gardens came to photograph my home, the art director wanted me to paint the branch white. I flat out refused for many reasons. The main reason was that it was a memento of one of the camping trips my husband and I made to Yellowstone, Acadia, Nova Scotia or somewhere else. It’s funny that it’s a memento and I can’t remember which trip it was from. Regardless, we were young and un-married, but that branch holds many memories and has moved with us many times. I’m sure the movers thought I was nuts for packing up a branch. The other reason I wouldn’t paint it is because it would blend in with the walls. And this branch needs to stand out because it’s not “just a branch” to me.

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Guest Room: Ralph Lauren Climbing Lily.

This is the one room in the house that I can add feminine touches. This is my English Garden room and the light green works well with the pink flowers.

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Art Studio: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter 75% strength.

The art and craft room needs a neutral color so as not to influence the colors we use to create. I love the Revere Pewter, but wanted a light color to help bounce more light around the room. Ask your paint person to mix this color at 75% strength and you’ll agree, it’s the perfect greige that doesn’t darken the room.

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Home Office: Benjamin Moore Hot Spring Stones. 

I almost left this room off because I’m not thrilled with the color. I painted this room when I began blogging. It’s a big improvement from the dark and dreary color that used to be here. But, I’m still craving more light and a color that has less warmth. At night the color turns a bit fleshy. This is the next room that will get a makeover this year. I plan on adding a much needed window to the back wall where the desks are. I’m also planning on repainting the room (not sure on the color yet. Do you have a favorite paint color?) and adding wall shelving on the same wall as the window.

Final notes: 

I didn’t mention my trim colors. Most of the trim paint is the straight up white paint from the Benjamin Moore Impervo line. But, I’ve fallen in love with our white kitchen cabinet color and have been using Benjamin Moore Oxford white more.

I’m a huge fan of Benjamin Moore (especially their Aura low VOC paint.) But, this past year I’ve been using more Sherwin Williams paint (Pro-Classic and Cashmere.) And although it has a different consistency (not as thick as the Aura), I’m really liking their paint as well.

Paint colors are challenging. They can change color depending on the time of day and the season. If you live somewhere that has deciduous trees, I urge you to never pick a paint color in the winter. The green outside your window the other three seasons of the year can change the look of your paint color. Need some tips on picking the perfect paint color? Read this post.

Any other questions for me? Did I forget anything?

PHGFancySign

 

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Questions on home paint colors? Pretty Handy Girl shares all the details on the paint colors in her home | Home Paint Color Scheme #prettyhandygirl #paintcolors #homepaintcolors

Pretty Handy Girl Holiday Home Tour Mudroom & Foyer

Last up on my holiday home tour is my mudroom and foyer. This year, I re-used the same wreaths for the front door, but I jazzed them up with silver holly leaf floral picks.

Pretty Handy Girl Holiday Home Tour Mudroom & Foyer

It’s incredibly easy to change the look of your wreaths. Try tucking in fresh clippings like these mahonia leaves:

Pretty Handy Girl's Holiday Home Tour 2014

Or tie ornaments onto your wreath to add some sparkle and shine. Get more ideas for updating your wreaths here.

Pretty Handy Girl's Christmas Home Tour

Inside the front door, I set up the advent calendars on our rustic IKEA hacked chest. Read more

Holiday Home Tour - Kitchen | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Home Tour - Kitchen | Pretty Handy Girl

One of my favorite rooms to decorate is our kitchen. There is something about the combination of aqua with green that makes me happy. Welcome to the next room on my Holiday Home Tour, the kitchen!

Holiday Home Tour - Kitchen | Pretty Handy Girl

Updating the window seat with aqua and snowflake pillows is the first thing I do when Thanksgiving is over.

I love adding a little bling to the chandelier during the holiday season. Last year I hung a beaded garland from the chandelier, this year it’s white buds and gold painted eucalyptus leaves.

Holiday Home Tour - Kitchen | Pretty Handy Girl

The open shelves get a new vignette. It’s such an easy swap that gives us something new to look at throughout the season. Read more

Holiday Woodland Tablescape 2015 | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Woodland Tablescape 2015 | Pretty Handy Girl

Welcome back for another holiday room tour! Today I’d love to have you join us in the dining room. Can I tell you a secret? I don’t usually make a big Christmas meal. Instead, I like to make a huge batch of pancakes and bacon or sausage. I’m definitely a breakfast for lunch or dinner kind of gal. In fact, we sit down in the dining room and the whole family enjoys a big brunch on Christmas day. Maybe one year I’ll surprise the family with a ham. Or maybe not.

Apparently I’m old enough to witness a trend go out of style and come back again. I’m thrilled to be able to dust off my blue and white Spode plates and use them on my holiday tablescape this year. Do you have a collection of blue and white plates? Do you use them all the time, only for special occasions or never?

Holiday Woodland Tablescape 2015 | Pretty Handy Girl

It was great to bring out the deer from last year’s tablescape.  They really add the woodland feel to our table.

Holiday Woodland Tablescape 2015 | Pretty Handy Girl

I purchased a mixed green garland from Kroger and pulled it apart to decorate the table and more! Gotta love getting fresh greens from the grocery store.

Holiday Woodland Tablescape 2015 | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Woodland Tablescape 2015 | Pretty Handy Girl

Speaking of table, did you notice that my table is different from last year? I finally made this beautiful farmhouse table from reclaimed timbers and Osbourne wood table legs. You can easily make your own table following this tutorial. Read more