A home decor & lifestyle blog
I feel like guys are so hard to shop for! Lucky for us, my husband curated this list for you to shop for that special man in your life. Let me know if you end up getting an item from this list.
Click on the number to shop the source!
A few months ago, we wanted to spruce up our half bath in our home. Oftentimes, people will say your half bath should be a statement when it comes to interior design as that’s the first room, and sometimes only other room, guests see in your home.
If you follow me on Instagram Stories, you saw we were trying to decide between wallpaper and board and batten prior to starting this project and welcomed feedback from you all on which route to go.
As our style has evolved, we have been trying to incorporate more earth tones, neutrals, and black into our home. We decided to make our half bath a dark and moody space. We went for board and batten, and since this was our first time, we went for a simple and achievable design.
We do have textured walls. Although some people online recommend not doing board and batten on textured walls, we did and thought it looked fine. Those who recommend otherwise suggest wood paneling the wall before doing board and batten designs. If you’re contemplating trying this at home, it really is up to you and what you think looks best. After all, it is your home. 😉
Because of our textured walls though, we chose not to pursue wallpaper. We were interested in wallpaper with a design or pattern, so it would’ve been difficult to obtain a flat look. Some of you also said that wallpaper in a bathroom is usually a no-go because of the moisture – it may come off the wall or deteriorate quickly.
The Process
If I’m being frank, my husband did most of the work. He loves woodworking, so this was a fun task for him. He measured and used a miter saw to cut the wood. We purchased 1/2 inch thick wood from The Home Depot for the board and batten.
My husband used a staple gun to adhere the wood onto the wall. After the wood was placed, he caulked the seams and taped the edges so we wouldn’t get caulking on the other walls. He recommends cutting a very small hole for the tip of the caulking as that will minimize the chances of getting it everywhere.
After this, it was time to prime and then paint. This is where I was able to contribute the most. 🙂 We primed the wall with a gray primer called KILZ from The Home Depot, which works for both interior or exterior jobs. We used roller and paintbrushes to get in all of the crevices. After priming, we were ready to finally paint. We used Glidden’s Black Magic Satin paint to make the room really pop. We chose satin paint because they tend to be easier to clean, and the guest bath tends to get utilized a lot in a home.
The Finished Product
After a few coats of paint, we caulked again and did touch-ups. My husband had extra wood in the garage from another project, and we decided to repurpose it for the light wood shelves above the toilet. We also found a few items at Home Goods to decorate them. I also purchased this canvas from The Canvas Hut to complete the look, if you use my code ATHOMEDANIO, you get 20% off. I will say their shipping is a little delayed, which is why waited to do our reveal so just keep that in mind when you make your purchase. During a grocery trip to Walmart, I grabbed this matted frame to match.
Below are also some of the items we used and sources for the items in our half bath. I linked what I could for you. As always, let me know if you decide to try a board and batten project at home. If you have additional tips, let us know in the comments.
I’m not huge on cooking but I do love to bake. I love the way our house smells after baking too! Pumpkin pie is my favorite pie, and I look forward to making it and eating it all year long. If you follow me on IG and Stories, you know pumpkin-flavored everything is my favorite.
With how busy holiday season gets, Walmart is my best friend! I love that I can shop online and pick up my groceries within two hours. It saves me so much time already and will be a time-saver in such a busy season.
Let me know if you try the below recipe and if you make any substitutions to it. I hope it becomes a staple in your holiday meals too.
As the holidays approach, I always want to invest in items that will grow with us for years to come. I’m a huge proponent of staying within your color scheme for your home and implementing accent colors throughout the holidays. It also creates a welcoming dining tablescape for your guests if you’re hosting.
I chose a cream, black, and gold color scheme for the plateware, and serving dishes tie it all together. The pie dishes are adorable and dishwasher safe. The pumpkin-shaped wooden board is perfect for a pre-feast appetizer or charcuterie board. The faux garland is a nice touch to your dining room table.
This year, I wanted to decorate our table for Thanksgiving with these items from Walmart. Walmart Home has such a wide variety of items to choose from and free shipping of over $35 worth of items makes it easy to shop from the comfort of your home. Walmart has affordable and stylish decor for your home for all seasons.
If you’d like to replicate the same look, I tagged the sources below in the image. Just hover over the items you’re interested in. I also linked similar items in case the specific ones I used are out of stock. While you’re browsing holiday decor, they also have great gift options for those who love home decor.
Pie dishes | Napkins | Pumpkin-Shaped Cheeseboard | Cake Stand with Glass Cover | Pumpkin Garland | Placemats | Gold Flatware | Dinnerware
I like how this turned out and may keep a similar set-up for the Christmas holiday season! Let me know if you try this at home. I’d love to see it!
Hi there! I thought I’d start by explaining why we selected the colors we did during our home building process. If you’re building a home, this can be the most enjoyable part of the whole process. I do recommend taking your time in making selections, seeing other inventory homes, or houses that are in construction to see the colors in person. I also suggest taking pictures of every selection and being very specific in relaying any changes to the builder.
During the color selection meeting, the builder encourages you to drive around and see what kind of brick and trim colors you like before making a decision. After driving around, we noticed lighter brick showed dust more and most likely needed to be power washed more often. We decided to go with a dark color brick and trim.
We chose PPG’s Knight’s Armor for our exterior paint for the trim and the garage. For our brick, we also went with a darker tone called Flint Ranch mixed with white limestone.
For the interior, we wanted to brighten the space up. We love bright spaces with natural lighting and wanted to make sure the interior of the home gave us that vibe. We decided on PPG’s Elusion which is a soft and warm gray. Eventually, we’d like to paint other walls with accent colors throughout the home, but for now, we love it.
On the kitchen cabinets, the master bath, and half bath, we decided to go with white cabinetry throughout. We just felt it was a timeless color that could brighten the first floor even more. For the upstairs bath, we picked Sherwin Williams’, Gauntlet Gray. Knowing we eventually plan on having kids, we knew we wanted a darker color that could uphold sticky fingers and all.
The countertops we chose for the kitchen were quartz from India. They are a beautiful white with gray undertones, called Dreamy White, they really are dreamy! During the building process, we did some research to figure out if we wanted quartz vs granite in the kitchen. We decided to go with quartz as they’re more durable, and because they aren’t porous like granite, they’re easier to keep clean and bacteria-free. They also don’t require much maintenance, unlike granite countertops that are recommended to be sealed once a year. For the bathroom, we decided to go with granite from Spain called White Shore and opted to splurge in the kitchen rather than the bath.
For the flooring, we chose wood-like tile throughout the first floor and carpet upstairs. We chose a tile called Hatteras Cedar which was actually in the model home that we toured. We loved how easy it looked to clean and the color tone.
I hope to show more off the color through pictures via Instagram and this blog soon! In the meantime, if you’re currently building, maybe you can get inspired by some of our selections.
Hi there! I’m so glad you’re here.
I’ve worked in advertising and marketing for years and have always appreciated creativity and design. I decided to create this blog to share decor tips, my passion for interior design and affordable home finds. I’m not an expert by any means, but I enjoy inspiring others to create a space they love without going in debt.
I live in a suburb north of Fort Worth with my fiancé and our pup.
