Laundry Room Makeover

OK everyone I am finally biting the bullet and getting a new washer and dryer. It is a love hate thing don't you think? I love the idea of getting something new but hate the pressure of picking the right one (they are sooooo EXPENSIVE).  I have been reading consumer reports on all of them and have decided to get the LG front loaders. Does anyone have these? I have never had a front loader but want to be able to slide them under a counter top so that I have a folding station. My laundry room is rather small so I am trying to utilize as much space as possible. I have a sink in the corner of the room so I am thinking of having the counter top basically go from wall to sink on both sides which will form an L shape counter top.

For under the the short counter, I thought about putting cabinets but then decided to use a 3 compartment canvas hamper system instead. I have a nylon one now but it is small and flimsy. I am considering this one from overstock.

Any chances of my girls putting their dirty clothes in these?

Now for the walls. I think I am going through an early midlife crisis because my color choices are so drastically different then what I use to like. I am really drawn to bright bold colors where before I loved very warm traditional colors. ( What hidden message should I be looking for?) I can't change my whole house so  I am  leaning towards the soft pinks or gray blues. I was going to try wallpaper but then remembered it was a laundry room which holds alot of heat and moisture ...not so good for keeping the wallpaper on the walls. Therefore, I am going to paint and stencil to give the impression of wallpaper.

Take a look at some of my choices:

Any thoughts? Remember these aren't necessarily the colors I would choose, I just like the patterns. I have to admit I am leaning more towards a geometric shape.   Also, I am going to put white beadboard floor to counter height so the stencil will only cover a little less then half the wall. I removed our old cabinets which covered the whole wall over our exiting washer and dryer and in its place will go open shelving.  I had thought having closed cabinets would keep things looking nice and neat.  I didn't realize I would see a closed cabinet as an oppurtunity to shove everything in and close the door. You weren't able to see the mess but then you could find anything either. 

Last item on the makeover list and the most costly and stressful are the washer and dryer.  I really think I am going with the LG front loaders( unless someone has a horrible story to tell me) but what I can't decide is; do I go for ones with a steam element or not and do I get the more expensive silver or just go safe with white? The silver is so nice looking but again IT IS JUST A LAUNDRY ROOM right?

There you have it. So many decisions to make. I would love to hear your thoughts?

A little side note.  You will probably notice the blog looking different a few times over the next couple of weeks. As I posted earlier, my brother in law is helping me redesign my blog and create a website. We are playing around with a lot of different ideas, so please bear with us through the redesign.  . 

Take Care,

Stacy



New and Exciting Changes

So SORRY for the lack of posts lately but there are new and exciting changes being done at SHM Designs. My brother-in law has graciously offered to help me redesign my blog and also create and design a SHM Designs website. While all of that is fun and exciting it is also VERY time consuming.  This along with my daughters graduation and a HUGE fundraiser in which I am running for all 3 of my daughters travel basketball program, I have been somewhat behind. However, I really think you are going to LOVE the changes and it will be worth the wait.

So stay tuned, thanks for your patience and as always.....

Take Care,
Stacy

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day

Celebrating any day with your family is always a blessing but its funny I find Mothers Day to be what I like to call "Wonderfully Challenging".  I love all the special notes from my children and the constant I love you's , kisses ( esp. at their age because its not as "cool" to be kissing your mom) and thank you's, but it is that inner motherly instinct to think about others first; so to me it can be challenging,"wonderfully challenging', but challenging. My questions for the day are always: Should this day be about me or my mother or my mother-in-law? Do I do nothing to help get things ready or do I help? Should I throw in that next pile of laundry or let it go, knowing that tomorrow there will be 5 in its place? Should we try to go out to eat or should I let my husband and kids attempt to cook a WHOLE meal? I know all these questions, when actually written down, seem funny but I really do think about all of them.

SO this year, my goal is to try and not think. Just enjoy the day without thinking and planning and let whatever happens happen. I'll get back to you about how that worked out. 



When I had my boutique, I sold wooden inspirational signs. My best seller was one about mothers and their children. I hope you enjoy this mothers day quote!

They know me in a way no one ever has.

They open me to things I never knew existed.

They drive me to insanity and push me to my depths.

They are the beat of my heart,

the pulse of my veins,

and the energy in my soul -

they are my kids

Happy Mothers Day

Take Care,

Stacy



New York City Trip

This Saturday I went to New York with my oldest daughter Sara and her whole 8th grade class. We had  so much fun! New York is such a great place to find inspiration.

Take a look:

Our first stop was the MET (Metropolitain Museum of Art). I could of spent DAYS  here but we only had 1 hour (can you believe it).

Sara and her friends at the entrance. 

 The buildings architecture was magnificent!

One thing that I was completely amazed with was the elaborate frames. They were definitely an important part of the design of each piece.

The picture behind my daughter and her friend was a painting that had, for whatever reason, not been completely finished. The face was still just a pencil drawing.

Here is a better look.

A three story building front inside the Met! It was incredible.

This stained glass window was created by William and John Bolton. It was one of sixty windows made for a church in Manhattan called Holy Trinity in the 1800's. The church has since been renamed St Ann. The Bolton windows were the first figural stained windows created in the United States.

Beautiful clay pottery

These are two grand pianos built in the 1800's. The first was so simple but beautiful and the second was very ornate. I could picture it a grand pallor filled with people dressed in beautiful gowns and suits.

An 1800's Organ.. What a statement these pieces must of made in a room.

I found such beautiful architectural features in every room I entered.

This old iron wall/gate was truly magnificent.

The rooms below were filled with French antiques. I loved these rooms! Sorry for the dark pictures. I was not allowed to use flash in the MET and these rooms had wonderful drapes on the windows which made the rooms very dark.

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The Met had a roof top garden which I highly recommend if you ever go there. It gives you an incredible view of the city from alot of different angles.

The workmanship and colors used in the tapestries were magnificent.

Love the floor!

Look at the detail of this urn. Amazing!

More architectural fronts of buildings inside the MET. You really need to get there. I am definitely going again!

Another aspect of the city which I thoroughly enjoy, is walking the streets and looking at all the work by local artist. I find it so fascinating to talk to them and listen to how passionate they are about their pieces and what inspired them. 

I fell in love with this piece and my friend with the one below. They are oils done on stretch canvas. The artists name is Arturo Arboleda. He was such a nice man and so excited to talk about his pieces.

While walking around we discovered St. Patrick's Cathedral. Truly breath-taking!  Even my daughter and her friends were amazed. Of course the first thing out of all of their mouths were; "I want to get married in a place like this". Every girl wants to feel like a princess when she gets married and this would sure be a great start!

What a wonderful mother/daughter day. As she gets older there are fewer and fewer of these so I cherish every one of them.

Take care,

Stacy 

 For help designing a room that makes you smile, contact me and ask about my design services