It's Curb Appeal Month!

Okay, so I am a little late since May is curb appeal month and here I am at the end of May writing this post. Oh well. It happens.

Anyway, at The Rustic School House we have been busy sprucing up our home and property and enjoying every sliver of sun we can get because it has been one rainy, dreary spring so far in Nova Scotia!

I wanted to share a few tips for improving the curb appeal of your home.

1. Use pre-finished, matience-free material whenever possible. These materials save time and money. When we were discussing a railing system for our deck we chose a vinyl system due to its affordability and matience free properties. Who wants to be painting their deck railing every couple of years? Not Me!

2. Mow/ Maintain your grass regularly. Our lawn is Mr.RSH's obsession. He mows it at least once a week and is a fertilizer, lime and lawn seed junkie (is there such a thing as Lawn Obsessives Anonymous?) Mowing your lawn regularly keeps it healthy and strong. If you have issues with your soil such as moss or bald patches ask a professional how to remedy these issues.

3. Weed/Maintain garden beds. A well groomed garden bed is a huge step in adding curb appeal to your property. After much reflection I have decided that with the exception of a new bed we are building in the front of our home and our veggie garden that will be it for the garden beds around The Rustic School House. One must know their weeding limits. I would rather have no garden beds than several that are over run with weed and look like a tangled mess because I cannot find the time to maintain them. Low matience shrubs and trees are always a great option for those that want to add color and variety to their property with out all the hassle of weeding and grooming.

4. Ensure drainage around your home is working properly and that your windows, doors and roof are keeping out the elements. Nothing is more damaging to a home than water .

5. Maintain the exterior of your home. If your home needs painting, staining or cleaning -do it! Nothing makes a home and property lack curb appeal than a house with flaking paint or dirty vinyl siding. Also, when choosing accents or accessories for the exterior of your home, keep in mind the style. For example if your house is of a Victorian era, choose your house numbers, lighting fixtures, entrance system, mailbox, etc. that is in keeping with this style.

6. Take your neighbours into consideration. When choosing a new color scheme for the exterior of your home, consider the color schemes of your neighbourhood. If your neighbourhood homes consist of mostly natural color schemes and you want to paint your house purple with green trim, that may be an issue. If you live in an attached home, speak with your neighbour about what changes you are thinking of making so that both homes look unified and in turn will increase the value of both properties.

7. Keep any outbuildings the same as or similar in color palette as your home. For example our home is yellow as is our shed and I even stained our dog Macgyver's house yellow! By doing this it gives the property a sense of continuity with no particular building standing out.

Pantry Makeover!

Hi Friends,

This past week has been a busy one at The Rustic School House as I have been busy freshening up our kitchen pantry. I wanted to update the pantry as inexpensively as possible, it needed a couple coats of paint and some serious organization!

Before

After

We are really happy with the results! I love how fresh and clean it feels.

I put a lot of thought into storage and purchased containers for cereal, pasta, etc. Everything is organised so that I can easily see what items I have in my pantry, what I am getting low on, and what I need to pick up at the grocery store.

My goal with this project was to update on a budget and I achieved that. The grand total of this kitchen pantry redo was $125.53 taxes included!

Pretty good huh? For that money I purchased paint, paint brushes, (I treated myself to a brand spankin' new Prudy brush - I am in lurve!) baskets and containers for storage.

If you have a small project in mind I hope you decide to complete soon. This pantry update shows that you don't have to break the bank to improve your space, one step at a time, one room at a time.

Have a great week!

Spring Cleaning - The Natural Way!

The temperatures are getting milder, the snow is melting and spring is on its way- yay! Although Fall is hands down my favorite season, spring is a close second. I love the first signs of spring- robins, tulips and daffodils.

With spring comes spring cleaning. I really enjoy spring cleaning- no I am not running a fever :)  I just love a clean, fresh home - I mean, who doesn't?

Since becoming a mom I am far more conscious of what cleaning products I use in our home. I don't want to expose my family or myself to toxic fumes and products unnecessarily. So here's a few natural products that you can use today to make your spring cleaning and everyday cleaning a much more pleasant experience.

Vinegar- works like an all purpose cleaner is super cheap and naturally disinfects. Mix with water and you have a cleaner that works on windows, floors, counters, and fixtures in the bathroom. Worried that your house is gonna smell like vinegar? Don't be - the smell goes away as it dries.

Lemon Juice- hard water and soap scum doesn't stand a chance with lemon juice. It also works great to shine brass and copper. You can throw the peels down your garbage disposal to freshen the kitchen or combine lemon juice with a bit of baking soda to create a cleaning paste.

Baking Soda- absorbs odors in your fridge or freezer. I use baking soda as I would any commerical abrasive product. It always gets my kitchen sink sparkling!

Olive Oil- makes a great furniture polish when combined with lemon juice.

Borax- combine with lemon juice to use as a toilet bowl cleaner. It's great for removing stains.

Baby Oil- Use for shining your stainless steel appliances. I find that not only does it shine my appliances, it seems to repel a lot of the finger prints and grime. And that scent-wonderful!

If you are not a fan of mixing and measuring there are many natural commerical cleaners on the market now. The only commerical natural product I use is Murphy's oil soap (which I love by the way), so I am not sure if the other products are effective but if you have or do use 'em I would love to hear your opinion!

Do you have any natural cleaners that you use that I have not included? I am always looking for new tips and tricks- please share!

Happy Spring Cleaning!

BTW, stop by on Monday- I have a great before and after planned of something I have been working on all this week!

Counter top Selections

There are so many choices for counter top materials on the market today so I thought it would be a bit of fun to decipher a few of the most popular.

Laminate - very popular and great for the budget conscious. Laminate is available in a wide range of  patterns, colors and textures.

houzz

Granite - pretty much indestructible, granite is resistant to heat, acid and scratches. Because granite is porous it requires sealing.

houzz

Corian - non porous therefore will not stain or attract mould and mildew. Comes in a variety of colors and patterns.

houzz

Butcher Block - high maintenance is involved with this material. Butcher block counter tops require a monthly application of mineral oil to keep its good looks.

Houzz

Stainless steel - Sanitary and very modern choice. Dents and scratches easily.

houzz

Concrete - once sealed, concrete counters are stain and scratch resistant. Concrete counters come with a heftier price tag than other choices but are custom made to your design requirements.

houzz

What are your thoughts on the topic? Personally I am a laminate girl. The counters at The Rustic School House are laminate but look like granite. I love 'em !

Laundry Rooms

Laundry rooms were once utilitarian spaces with no character or life to them - that ship has sailed! Quite often there is a room or space devoted exclusively to laundry with room to sort, iron and fold. Many laundry rooms are even equipped with televisions, chairs or stools and are a place of relaxation for some.

A well designed laundry room serves it purpose well with room to hang delicates, sort dirty clothes, as well as room to fold and iron clean clothes. A sink to clean those hand wash only garments is a definite bonus. Ample storage for laundry soaps, detergents as well as extra household items like towels and face cloths, toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning products. Not all storage has to be closed, many laundry spaces utilize open storage by using baskets and decanting detergents into beautiful jars.

I am a big fan of white laundry rooms. This room has a gorgeous deep sink, lots of storage space and a large island to fold clothing on.

You don't have a room to dedicate to laundry? This niche is a wonderful alternative and by making horizontal lines on the walls it helps to visually widen and lengthen the space.

This laundry room also serves as an entrance. I like this room because it shows how one can make a space serve more than one purpose through thoughtful design.

Often times the laundry room is a space to experiment with bold color or pattern that one would not use in any other space in their home.

                 (All photos by Houzz)


Do you have a laundry room or a space dedicated to laundry? What features do you like or wish you had in a laundry room?

Lighting Finale!

Alright, so you have patiently waited for the ending of this series so you can get some great lighting tips and tricks for your home. You have looked at a few of my favorite types of lighting and perhaps thought of a few of your personal favorites. Your wait is now over-the last post in this series has arrived and as Abigail would say...Ta Da!

1. Mirror it up!

You've heard it before I am sure, but adding mirrors to a space helps to reflect light which in turn makes the room appear larger and brighter. For optimal light reflection place the mirror opposite a window.

Ballard Designs

 

2. White is your friend!

Did you know that the most reflective paint color is white? When looking to brighten a space in your home, choosing white or off- white will help to reflect light in your room so those spaces with poor lighting conditions or little to no natural light will seem more spacious.

                                                        Apartment Therapy

                                                                Elle Decor


3. Virtually anything is reusable!

You can turn basically anything into a lamp and include it into your decor. You need an electrical wiring kit that you can find at a hardware store and a container that suits your fancy.

                                                               Pottery Barn


4. Dimmers are a must!

I would put a dimmer switch on every light in my house if left to my own devices! If you can only put one light on a dimmer in your home I would recommend your dining room. Lights that have the ability to dim really help to set the mood for your entertaining and quite frankly who wants a florescent light glaring down on them?!

                                                          Sarah Richardson


Lighting Types

General Lighting: This type of light is your main lighting source in the room and may be in the form of a chandelier, flush mount light or recessed lighting. Quite often this type of light is on a dimmer so you can increase or decrease the intensity of the light.

                                         Houzz

Accent Lighting: You quite often will see this type of lighting used to highlight a valued piece of artwork, a vignette in a room or mounted in cabinetry to highlight prized collectibles.

                      Houzz

Task Lighting: This type of light is used throughout the home in various ways such as a table lamp on a bedside table, a desk lamp with a manipulative arm to place light precisely where needed or in the kitchen in the form of pendant lighting over an island.

                                  Houzz 

I hope that you have learned some new info with this series and have really given thought to the lighting conditions in your home. Remember that it doesn't have to be expensive and labour intensive to brighten your space. A well lit space is not only a more pleasurable one to be in but it is also a safer one to work and relax in.

It's All About The Sconces and Floor Lamps Baby!

Howdy friend! Hope you are having a great week so far! Today's post is part 3 of my 4 part lighting series ( check out part 1 here and part 2 here). This post is going to focus two different styles of lighting - floor lamps, and sconces.

A good floor lamp is really an item every home should own. They are so versatile in decor as well as function. Check out a few of my favorites below.

 Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn

Ballard Designs

Sconces have come back in a huge way! They are being used in bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms- all over the home! Here are a few personal favorites.

 Pottery Barn

 Pottery Barn

Overstock.com

Stop by next week for the conclusion of the series and lots of lighting tips and tricks to help make your home a bit brighter!