Our Backyard

Here are the before pics of our backyard.  It was pretty neglected when we moved in (obviously!!!) But it had a good base, a good amount of landscaping, not pure dirt which most Vegas Tract homes have!

AFTER:

This yard has been a work in progress.  We did the patio cover pretty soon after we moved in, then the pavers on the sides, then removed all the rocks around the edges and replaced it with black mulch.  I tried to start a little vegetable garden, but that failed miserably!!  So after about a year and a half of work, we are pretty happy with the outcome.  Oh and I want flowers on my patio but they are going to have to be fake, or you will have to like dried flowers :)

Genius organization

So I'm getting myself involved in ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) again. (I'm the new Design Community Coordinator, woo hoo!) Anyway, I went to an event the other night and the speaker mentioned this product, I looked it up and WOW! I mean I still love traditional kitchens but this is absolutely genius, especially in a sweet city loft where space is at a premium! Too bad it's not available in the states yet (it doesn't meet our codes).







Pics from BULTHAUP

Master Closet

This is one of our most recent projects. We got the shelving system from Home Depot, think it's Closet Maid. It was super easy to put together and much cheaper than I thought it would be!! It is pretty much heaven having a closet organizer, although I still can't get Johnny to actually do his laundry!!!

BEFORE:
Such a poor use of space!




DEMO:


AFTER:
This is my side...drawers are for my jewelry and hats, scarves, etc...Did I mention it's like heaven??




4 levels of shoes!!!

Catching up...

As usual I am behind!

I spent the last 4 months of my life studying for the NCIDQ exam. Probably one of the biggest tests I will ever take in my life! I feel so accomplished, yet frustrated because I won't know my results until July!

This project I did all by myself over my Christmas break (wow I really AM behind!)


THE OFFICE:
Really loving the gray and white schemes... still need to hang some more pics up in the room, but haven't gotten around to it...

Before...by the way, free desk from work!!




DURING...


COMPLETE!


My art, beading, idea and storage area. I haven't pulled this stuff out for years! Now I need to find time to use it!

Front yard!

Another project to report on! This time we worked on our front yard/patch :). It had grass but looked drab and we were tired of wasting money on watering since it is a desert out there (be water smart). So we gutted and replaced with some desert friendly plants and this vibrant red mulch. I have to say, our yard definitely stands out now! Oh and Johnny put a coat of paint on the front door so it's not so sunfaded anymore :) Enjoy....

Before (when we bought the house)....



After we gutted the grass...



And the results:
(I admit the plants look a little puny, but either they fill out or we replace them - gardening is definitely a new hobby for us!)

Updated 1/2 Bathroom

Aye, I thought I blogged this, but I am clearly behind! :) Johnny and I did some work on our half bathroom downstairs. We updated lighting, the mirror, removed medicine cabinet, painted the walls and the cabinetry and various other little things. We LOVE it! It's dark, but we love the warmth and coziness to it. Even better we did it for less than 500 dollars! Check it out...

BEFORE -BLAH!





DURING...



AND AFTER....

Real Estate obsession...

So, here I go again. After 6 days of being bed ridden because of my sinus surgery (which, by the way, went very well!), I spent way too many hours watching way too much HGTV, DIY, and reading too many design magazines (not that that's a bad thing :-)..)....

Also, Johnny and I have tossed around the idea of moving to Austin, TX. We are super attracted to that town and it's one we both agree on. I, of course, love Seattle and Portland, but he hates the rain, clouds...which I think I would also get sick of, being a California girl and all. Oh and another huge reason is that my sister Dara lives there. She absolutely loves it! Hopefully she stays though...she is working on her Doctorette and may or may not find a job there/be able to stay. I have visited it once (and plan to drag Johnny there soon) and loved it! It's such a funky and fun town. And obviously the fact that it's the "Live Music Capital of the world" is a huge draw too. AND there are some Master's programs that I'm very interested in there, it's one of the few places I would consider going to for grad school. Even Johnny is thinking of going back to school! Only drawback would be that it's pretty far from friends and family. :-/

So of course, in my boredom I began to look up housing there. I really think I should be in Real Esate...I LOVEE looking at homes! I don't know why! I would love to live downtown, or close to it, and be a part of all the action! I want to be able to walk to coffee shops, restaurants, shopping, etc. I told Johnny we should just sell everything and get a 500 sq ft. loft and go for it. He said "ok", kinda... haha. The thought of getting rid of all my unnecessary junk is highly appealing right now. Just have what you need and love and get rid of the rest. (Maybe I need to dejunk :)). As I was browsing lofts and condos I came across this absolutely adorable loft. PERFECT! What I've always imagined!! A little sleeping area above the kitchen, built in shelves....cozy, quaint, PERFECT!

Check it out... (can you not post PDF's on here?! - click on more info)
http://www.urbanspacerealtors.com/properties/510