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Decorating

All Things Home

adding storage to a tiny bathroom

Remember the upstairs bathroom that I worked on last year? It is just the sweetest bathroom and I smile every time I walk past it…even with toothpaste globbed in the sink and splattered on the mirror. The only downside is that it is really tiny and doesn’t have any storage. None at all. Not a cabinet or shelf or hooks or anything. And, with a pedestal sink, there aren’t many places to set your stuff. So, I added a glass shelf to the right of the sink. We set a few extra rolls of toilet paper up there and it gives a place for guests to set their toiletries. (The boys don’t have anything beyond a toothbrush, so I have an antique alarm clock and little boxwood topiary up there for now.) I would’ve preferred no shelf at all, I think, but a glass one allows the paper to still

February 17, 2016 56 Comments

All Things Home

Kim’s coastal bedroom | installing the built-ins

The room makeover for my mom and dad is finally nearing completion! I am planning to photograph the finished room later this week. We finally got over the biggest hurdle in the room, the built-ins. I have assisted Jeff with building cabinets and shelves and I felt like it was something my dad and I could tackle, even though it was a bit ambitious. I drew up the design and, over several weeks, many of us worked together on the building, finishing, and finally the installation. It was a huge learning process for my dad and me, but we are so pleased with how they turned out. They’ve been sitting in five pieces in my parent’s garage, each waiting their turn to be painted and finished. Now, you know I like to use milk paint for just about everything, but we opted for primer and latex in order to

February 15, 2016 55 Comments

All Things Home

why I use my silver everyday

I’ve talked about this before, but it’s worth talking about again. When I shared pictures of my new drawer organizers, I received a few comments and questions about my flatware. The most common one was, “Do you really use your silver everyday?” The answer is yes, I really do. Even with two young boys, I do. Even with a husband who would be content using plastic picnic ware, I do. It wasn’t always like that. I used to use a $20/set Oneida pattern that we received as a wedding gift. It was a common set, so I added onto it over the years with pieces I found from thrift stores. I never really loved it, but it was just what we used and I didn’t question it. I did finally purchase some new flatware from Pottery Barn, but it didn’t wear very well and the scale was so large that the

February 11, 2016 81 Comments

a slice of life

favorite Ikea finds

We live about 90 minutes away from an Ikea, so I don’t go there often. Maybe once every three or four years. On Friday, my mom and I made the trek and spent the day “doing Ikea.” It really is like a theme park. Wear comfortable shoes, get your map, make your lists, so you don’t miss anything. Make your plans, so you hit lunch at the right time. It’s an event. I went with a pretty sizable list of things I wanted, mostly for home organization projects I’ve been chipping away at when I have the time. It’s the kind of store where it’s easy to keep throwing things in the cart, though, even with a focused list. That’s just $5.00 or $1.50 and who knows when I’ll be back at an Ikea again, so I had better get it! (Those woodland cookie cutters were totally an impulse buy,

February 7, 2016 65 Comments

All Things Home

Kim’s coastal bedroom | non-chippy milk paint

I love the look of paint that has been worn with time. Chips, flakes, rubbed areas that reveal the warm patina of the wood underneath. It just speaks to me. But, I know some people look at those pieces and wonder when you’re going to repaint or refinish them. It’s just not a look that is up everyone’s alley. My mom is one of those people who doesn’t like the “chippy look.” I know! Where in the world did I come from, right?! She does still ask her chippy-loving daughter to paint furniture for her, though. It’s always a good challenge for me and forces me out of my comfort zone. For her bedroom makeover, that large oak cabinet was begging to be painted. It felt massive and orange and a little dated as it was. I suggested painting it in Marzipan, to keep it light and fresh, but my

February 2, 2016 53 Comments

All Things Home

Successful Houseplants

As many of you know, I discovered the joy of houseplants in the spring of 2015. I went a wee bit overboard and bought way too many plants for my house throughout the spring and summer, but it ended up being a good thing. I was able to see which plants thrived in my house and which ones didn’t. Many were lost along the way. A moment of silence for those who fell. I learned that some plants just aren’t suited to live in my house. Or in the place I put them in my house and, once they were moved, they really thrived. This is probably my biggest success story… This plant just loves my living room. Here’s how it looked seven months ago… And now… It’s taking over. It is potted directly in an ironstone tureen, but there is gravel at the bottom for drainage. I usually water

January 27, 2016 78 Comments

All Things Home

$100 Kohl’s Home Giveaway

You know me. I prefer to buy old things. They just speak to me in a way that new things don’t, but it’s not always practical to buy old. Sometimes you need a chair that people can sit in without wondering if and when it might give way. Right? Sometimes new things can work really well with all of the old, making your home a bit more functional. When Kohl’s contacted me, asking if I would work with them on promoting their home department, I was honestly a little unsure. I’ve bought towels and sheets and a frying pan there before, but I never thought of it as a place where I would buy a piece of furniture of a decorative accessory for my home. I’ve always loved shopping at Kohl’s, though, so I decided to look around and see if I could find things that fit my style. I

January 22, 2016 1,476 Comments

All Things Home

farmhouse style sofas

In response to my post about Sally’s living room, I received this comment from my friend, Breida… “I have a hard time figuring out what kind of couch fits into the “farmhouse” style… I can’t wait to see what you find!” Good question! I’m not sure if I’ll be able to answer it perfectly, but I’ll throw out my thoughts and you can, in turn, throw out yours and we’ll see where we end up. First of all, “Farmhouse” is definitely the trendy buzzword when it comes to home decor and I’m sure that comes as no surprise. When a style becomes trendy, like country, primitive, shabby chic, French provincial and now farmhouse, the waters get really muddy. Suddenly, everything is “farmhouse”, even stuff that really isn’t. To make the waters even muddier, there are many styles under the large umbrella of “farmhouse”. There’s European farmhouse, prairie-style, shaker, New England, etc.

January 21, 2016 31 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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Decorating

adding storage to a tiny bathroom

Kim’s coastal bedroom | installing the built-ins

why I use my silver everyday

favorite Ikea finds

Kim’s coastal bedroom | non-chippy milk paint

Successful Houseplants

$100 Kohl’s Home Giveaway

farmhouse style sofas

next art sale

August 13th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

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